Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz criticized Barcelona teenage star Lamine Yamal for waving a Palestinian flag during the Spanish league title celebrations, accusing him of 'inciting hatred.'
Yamal, 18, waved a large Palestinian flag from the team's open-top bus during Monday's parade through Barcelona. The event attracted around 750,000 people to celebrate the title won the previous day, according to local authorities.
'Lamine Yamal chose to incite hatred against Israel while our soldiers are fighting the Hamas terrorist organization, which massacred, raped, and burned alive Jewish children, women, and the elderly on October 7, 2023,' Katz wrote on X on Thursday.
Yamal, a Muslim, posted photos of himself holding the flag on his Instagram account.
Spain's government and a large portion of its population have strongly criticized Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, which has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, in response to the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in 2023.
A global wave of protest against Israel over the humanitarian toll of the Gaza war has spread into sports and culture. Demonstrations have been seen in football, cycling, and basketball. Last year, Spain's Vuelta race was repeatedly disrupted by protesters angered by the participation of an Israeli-backed cycling team.
Spain is also one of five countries that boycotted this year's Eurovision contest to protest Israel's participation. Yamal is expected to play for Spain at the World Cup in June and July in North America.
