Spain PM Defends Lamine Yamal Over Waving of Palestinian Flag
Pedro Sánchez said Yamal expressed solidarity with Palestine as Israeli officials called the flag display incitement and Barcelona declined to comment.
- During Barcelona's victory parade on Monday, player Lamine Yamal waved a Palestinian flag from an open-top bus as the team celebrated winning the Spanish Liga title before 750,000 spectators.
- Spain and much of its population have criticized Israel's military operations in Gaza following the 2023 Hamas attack, fueling global backlash against Israel that has spread into sports and culture.
- Israel Katz, Israel's defense minister, criticized Yamal on Thursday, writing that the act 'incites hate,' while Yamal, who is Muslim, shared photos of the flag on his Instagram account.
- Protests against Israel have disrupted various sports, including last year's Spanish Vuelta where demonstrators targeted an Israeli-backed cycling team, and Spain is boycotting the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.
- Yamal, 18, is set to star for Spain at next month's World Cup in North America, with his public stance on the conflict drawing intensifying political scrutiny from international observers.
120 Articles
120 Articles
Madrid. Spain’s president, Pedro Sánchez, shared being “proud” of the star of Barcelona Lamine Yamal for waving a Palestinian flag in the celebration of the title of his country’s league, which earned the forward accusations of “inciting hatred” on the part of Israel.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended Barcelona's star, Lamine Yamal, after the harsh reaction of the Israeli authorities to the footballer's gesture to fly a Palestinian flag during the celebration of the title won by the Catalan team.
Lamine Yamal has gained international attention following FC Barcelona's championship celebration earlier this week. During the club's open-top bus parade through the streets of Barcelona, the 18-year-old superstar stood with...
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