Israeli minister condemns Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal over Palestinian flag

Israel’s defence minister has accused Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal of inciting hatred after the teenager waved a Palestinian flag during the club’s La Liga title parade on Monday.

The 18-year-old was seen waving the large banner from an open-top bus as the Spanish champions celebrated their league success in front of an estimated 750,000 people.

Following the event, the Spanish international shared images of himself holding the flag with his millions of followers on Instagram.

“Lamine Yamal chose to incite hate against Israel while our soldiers combat the terrorist organization Hamas, an organization that massacred, raped and burned Jewish children, women and the elderly on Oct. 7.”

Israel Katz, the nation’s defence minister, posted the statement on social media platform X on Thursday.

Political tensions overlap with sporting celebrations

The incident arrives amid widespread criticism from the Spanish government and public regarding Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza.

Global backlash over the ensuing humanitarian crisis has increasingly spilled into the sporting arena across Europe.

Last year’s Vuelta a Espana cycling race faced repeated disruptions over the inclusion of an Israeli-backed team, while Spain has also joined a boycott of the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest.

Upcoming World Cup campaign

Away from the political controversy, the talented winger remains a crucial figure for his national team as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup in North America.

The Euro 2024 winner played a starring role in Berlin last year, helping his country defeat England to secure the prestigious continental trophy.

Spain will begin their World Cup group stage against Cape Verde on 15 June, before facing Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

Despite being two months short of his 19th birthday, the La Masia academy graduate has already secured 25 caps and scored six goals for the senior national side.