Harun Nasrullah
Spain’s government has come to the defence of football star Lamine Yamal after Israeli officials accused the teenage player of “incitement” for waving a Palestinian flag during title celebrations with FC Barcelona.
The 18-year-old winger, widely regarded as one of world football’s brightest talents, was seen holding the Palestinian flag while travelling on an open-top bus during Barcelona’s celebrations after securing the 2025–26 La Liga title on May 11.
The parade through Barcelona reportedly attracted around 750,000 supporters. Yamal later shared a photograph of himself holding the flag on Instagram, where he has more than 42 million followers.
The gesture prompted criticism from Israel Katz, who accused the Spain international of “inciting hatred” against Israel while Israeli forces continue their military operations in Gaza. Katz also called on Barcelona to publicly distance itself from Yamal’s actions and state clearly that there was “no place for incitement or support for terrorism.”
Barcelona Manager Hansi Flick later commented on the incident, saying he did not “normally like” political gestures, but acknowledged that it had been Yamal’s personal decision. However, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez strongly rejected the Israeli criticism, defending the player’s actions in a post on social media.
Sánchez said that describing the waving of a national flag as “inciting hatred” showed that some people had either “lost their minds” or had become “blinded by their own ignominy.” He added, “Lamine has merely expressed the solidarity with Palestine that millions of Spaniards feel. Yet another reason to be proud of him.”
Spain has emerged as one of Europe’s most outspoken critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. In May 2024, Spain formally recognised Palestinian statehood alongside several other European nations.
The controversy surrounding Yamal reflects broader tensions across European football linked to the war in Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Last year, Aston Villa F.C. barred supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. from attending a match over security concerns following violent clashes involving Israeli fans in Amsterdam in 2024.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the US special envoy for monitoring and combating antisemitism, recently said that individuals accused of promoting antisemitism could face restrictions on attending future international sporting events, including the upcoming World Cup.
