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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez rallied behind FC Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal on Thursday after Israel's defense minister accused the 18-year-old of inciting hatred against Israel by waving a Palestinian flag during the club's La Liga title celebrations earlier this week.
Sanchez took to X to push back sharply against the accusation, writing that anyone who considers waving the flag of a state to be incitement has "either lost their judgment or been blinded by their own ignominy." He went further, framing the gesture in nationalist terms: "Lamine has only expressed the solidarity with Palestine felt by millions of Spaniards. Another reason to be proud of him."
The episode began Monday, when Yamal was filmed waving a Palestinian flag from an open-top bus as Barcelona's squad paraded through the city following their league title win. The celebration drew an estimated 750,000 people, and footage of the gesture spread rapidly online, drawing reactions from fans and public figures across the political spectrum.
Israel Katz, Israel's defense minister, responded Thursday with a pointed statement on X accusing Yamal of inciting "hate against Israel." Katz's remarks framed the moment through the lens of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, invoking the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel as context for his condemnation.
FC Barcelona moved to contain the fallout, distancing itself from Yamal's act and stating it was unplanned and not carried out on the club's behalf.
The club communicated its response to its Israeli fan club, Barca Mania, expressing appreciation for its Israeli supporters and acknowledging that the footage had caused discomfort within that community.
The club also confirmed that head coach Hansi Flick had spoken privately with Yamal to express his personal opposition to political statements of this kind.
Barcelona added that the footage would not be included in repeat broadcasts of the event, and ruled out any disciplinary action against the player.
Yamal, who was born in Catalan town Mataro to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother, is Muslim and has previously spoken out on issues of discrimination. He also posted images of himself with the flag to his Instagram account following the parade.
Spain has been one of the more vocal European governments in its criticism of the war in Gaza and is among a handful of countries that have formally recognized Palestinian statehood.
The incident adds a new dimension to an ongoing debate over the role of political expression in professional sport, with the 2026 World Cup now less than a month away and Yamal widely regarded as one of the tournament's marquee figures.
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