Israeli Minister criticises Lamine Yamal for waving Palestinian flag during Barcelona celebrations

Lamine Yamal has found himself at the centre of political controversy after displaying a Palestinian flag during FC Barcelona’s Spanish league title celebrations.

The incident took place during the club’s open-top bus parade on Monday, when the young winger accepted a Palestinian flag from a supporter and waved it in front of fans. Yamal later shared an image of himself holding the flag on social media, sparking widespread reactions online.

Hansi Flick Responds To Incident

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick addressed the situation during a press conference the following day.

The German coach explained that he personally prefers to avoid such situations but acknowledged that Yamal made his own decision.

Flick stated that he had spoken with the player and reminded him that he is now mature enough to take responsibility for his personal choices and actions.

Israeli Minister Launches Strong Criticism

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz strongly criticised Yamal over the incident in a statement posted on his X account in Spanish.

Katz accused the Barcelona star of spreading hatred and criticised the public display of support for Palestine while Israeli forces continue military operations linked to the conflict involving Hamas.

The minister also questioned the ethics behind such gestures and insisted that he would not remain silent over what he described as incitement against Israel and Jewish people.

Calls For Barcelona To Respond

Katz further urged Barcelona to publicly clarify its stance regarding the incident.

The Israeli minister called on the Spanish champions to make it clear that, in his view, there should be no tolerance for incitement or support for terrorism.

The controversy has generated intense debate on social media, with reactions divided between those defending Yamal’s freedom of expression and those criticising the gesture.