Arabic version: وزير إسرائيلي ينتقد لامين يامال بسبب عرض علم فلسطين

Israel’s defence minister has criticised Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal for waving a Palestinian flag during celebrations of the Spanish league title win. The 18-year-old Yamal waved a large Palestinian flag from an open-top bus during a victory parade by the team through Barcelona on Monday.

According to Al Jazeera, Minister Israel Katz accused Yamal of inciting hate against Israel while our soldiers combat the terrorist organization Hamas. Katz emphasized that Yamal’s actions were particularly provocative given the context of the conflict, which has seen significant violence and loss of life, including the massacre of Jewish children, women, and the elderly on October 7, 2023.

The celebration parade drew about 750,000 people to celebrate the league title clinched the previous day. Yamal, who is Muslim, posted pictures of himself holding the flag on his Instagram account, further fueling the controversy.

The backdrop of this incident includes widespread criticism of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, which has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians in response to the 2023 Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel. This criticism has permeated various sectors, including sports, where protests have emerged against Israeli participation in events.

As Yamal prepares to star for Spain at the upcoming World Cup in June and July in North America, this incident highlights the intersection of sports and political expression in a polarized global landscape.