Spain's Sanchez slams Israeli minister for attack on Yamal over Palestinian flag

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has publicly defended Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal after Israel's defence minister accused the Barcelona star of "inciting hatred" for waving a Palestinian flag during the club's victory parade on Monday.

Thousands of fans had showered praise on the 18-year-old forward, considered one of the best football players in the world, for waving the flag from an open-top bus as an estimated 750,000 fans gathered on the streets of Barcelona to celebrate the club's second consecutive league victory.

Israel Katz lashed out on social media on Thursday, accusing Yamal of "incitement against Israel and against the Jewish people". 

"I expect a great and respected club like @FCBarcelona to distance itself from these statements and make it unequivocally clear that there is no place for incitement or for support of terrorism," he added in his post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Later that day, the Spanish premier posted, in an apparent response to Katz, that "those who consider waving the flag of a state to be 'inciting hatred' have either lost their judgment or been blinded by their own ignominy".

Sanchez, whose government has long been critical of Israel's war on Gaza and formally recognised a Palestinian state in 2024, supported Yamal's gesture, describing it as a reflection of "solidarity with Palestine felt by millions of Spaniards".

"Another reason to be proud of him," he added.

FB Barcelona's official social media accounts made no public comment on Yamal's gesture. 

During a news conference on Tuesday, the club's manager, Hansi Flick, responded to questions about Yamal's waving of the Palestinian flag by saying "this, I normally don't like", but said it was the footballer's call. 

Yamal is also set to star for Spain at the World Cup in June and July in North America.

'Respect to Spain and Yamal'

The exchange between Katz and Sanchez sparked discussion online, with many people praising the Spanish leader for publicly supporting Yamal. 

"In this era, you are truly rare men of honor. Gaza holds profound gratitude for all that Spain has done on her behalf. We love you with all our hearts," commented one user. 

Translation: All respect to you, to Spain, and to Lamine Yamal! And to Barcelona, who I have been a fan of since the age of 13. Barcelona: more than a club. Lamine Yamal: more than a player. Spain: more than a country

"I think we don't realise: the Spanish prime minister who publicly and firmly supports Lamine Yamal. That commands respect. Bravo," wrote one.

Others called out the Israeli minister for conflating the Palestinian flag with support for Hamas.

"It is a shame and a disgrace that an Israeli Minister accuses Lamine Yamal of supporting terrorism and attacking his country just for holding a Palestinian flag," one user said. "It only evidences the hatred and lies of this genocidal government of Israel."

Another wrote: "httLamine Yamal didn't say anything, he just raised a Palestinian flag, but for Israel's Defence Minister, he 'incited hatred.' This only makes sense if you consider the existence of the Palestinian people intolerable."ps://xcom/copaalemdacopa/status/2055036927460401445?s=20"