Israeli Defence Minister Criticises Lamine Yamal Over Palestinian Flag Gesture
The Barcelona forward’s celebration sparked political backlash after he was seen waving a Palestinian flag during the club’s La Liga title parade in Spain.
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![FC Barcelona player Lamine Yamal holds a Palestinian flag as he celebrates with his team atop a bus after winning the Spanish La Liga title in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, May 11, 2026. [AP Photo]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fkiqklncxbiruqacmxddj.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Fnews_media%2Farticles%2F0.592794273724339.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
FC Barcelona player Lamine Yamal holds a Palestinian flag as he celebrates with his team atop a bus after winning the Spanish La Liga title in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, May 11, 2026. [AP Photo]
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has condemned Lamine Yamal after the young forward displayed a Palestinian flag during celebrations marking FC Barcelona’s league title victory, calling the act “incites hate”.
The incident took place during a victory parade in Barcelona, where thousands of fans gathered to celebrate the club’s triumph in Spain’s top football competition, La Liga. During the open-top bus celebration, the 18-year-old player was seen waving a large Palestinian flag.
The parade reportedly attracted around 750,000 supporters, according to local authorities, as fans filled the streets to mark the championship win secured the previous day.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, Katz strongly criticised the gesture. He wrote:
“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 October 7 [2023],”
Yamal, who is Muslim, also shared images of himself holding the flag on his Instagram account following the celebration.
The reaction comes amid heightened global political tension linked to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, which has triggered widespread international criticism and protests across sports and cultural events. Spain has been among the countries whose government and public opinion have been notably critical of Israel’s military campaign.
The conflict has increasingly spilled into sporting arenas, with protests previously seen in football matches, cycling competitions, and basketball events across Europe. Spain’s Vuelta cycling race was also disrupted last year by demonstrations opposing the participation of an Israeli backed team.
Spain has additionally joined several countries in boycotting the Eurovision Song Contest this year in protest against Israel’s inclusion.
Yamal is expected to represent Spain at the upcoming FIFA World Cup scheduled for June and July in North America.