Sánchez defends Lamine Yamal after he raised the Palestinian flag during Barcelona’s celebrations
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed how proud he is of Barcelona player Lamine Yamal after he raised the Palestinian flag during the team’s celebrations of winning the Spanish La Liga title, confirming that he supports him as an expression of a humanitarian stance.
Sánchez, known for his critical positions toward Israel and who previously described Israel’s military operations in Gaza as “genocide,” defended the Spanish player in this context, stressing that what he did cannot be interpreted as incitement to hatred.
The Spanish Prime Minister wrote in a post on the “X” platform that considering waving the flag of a country as an act of incitement reflects, in his words, either the loss of one’s mind or being influenced by a shame that clouds the truth—referring to the criticism directed at the player.
Sánchez added that Lamine Yamal expressed feelings of solidarity shared by millions of Spaniards toward Palestine, considering this an additional reason to be proud of him.
The Spanish Prime Minister’s remarks came in response to criticism by Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, who attacked the player after he raised the Palestinian flag, accusing him of “inciting hatred” against Israel.
Katz had written on the “X” platform in Spanish that he hoped a big club like Barcelona would distance itself from such actions, in the context of a wide debate sparked by the incident within sports and political circles.
Escalating controversy over Lamine Yamal between sports and politics
The controversy continues around Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal after he appeared raising the Palestinian flag during the team’s La Liga title celebrations, a move that sparked wide reactions and highlighted once again the overlap between sports and political positions in Spain.
In a strong response, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz sharply criticized the player, considering what he did “incitement against Israel,” and linked it to supporting Hamas, demanding that Barcelona condemn this behavior and emphasize their rejection of any display that could be interpreted as support for terrorism.
Katz also called for a clear stance from the Spanish club regarding their player, affirming that he will not tolerate any speech that could be considered incitement against Israel.
Lamine Yamal had waved the Palestinian flag during Barcelona fans’ celebrations and posted photos on his official accounts, in a move that received wide interaction inside and outside Spain.
This controversy comes amid escalating Spanish positions in support of Palestine and criticism of the military operations in Gaza, reflecting continued overlap between the sports sphere and international political context.
Spain between popular momentum and official positions supporting Palestine
The Spanish capital Madrid, along with several major cities in Spain, witnessed massive marches and public events marking the 78th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, in a movement that extended from Barcelona and Valencia to Madrid, reflecting a notable expansion of popular activism supporting the Palestinian cause in the country.
This movement came amid growing popular and official momentum, as participants demanded urgent practical measures to stop what they described as “genocide,” with increasing voices calling for stronger political and economic actions against Israel.
According to a report prepared by Ayman Al-Zubair and published by Al Jazeera, the marches that swept Spanish cities were not isolated events, but part of a series of widespread popular movements, coinciding with symbolic and media-related positions that stirred both controversy and support.
Among the most prominent of these positions was the young Barcelona star Lamine Yamal raising the Palestinian flag during the team’s La Liga celebrations, alongside the decision by the Spanish Television Authority (TVE) to boycott the Eurovision Festival—steps that observers interpreted as clear political signals in the context of rising solidarity with Palestine.
Such actions received strong support from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who confirmed on several occasions his backing of pro-Palestine stances, including defending Lamine Yamal against Israeli criticism.
In contrast, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz directed fierce criticism at the Spanish player after he appeared raising the Palestinian flag, accusing him of incitement and promoting hate speech against Israel, contributing to escalating tensions between both sides.
Growing popular demands to transform solidarity into political action
These developments come amid increasing public demands in Spain to translate solidarity into concrete measures, including calls to impose a boycott on Israel and exclude it from sports events, alongside demands to cut diplomatic relations and suspend European agreements with it.
Criticism also extended to the European Union, which some march participants accused of obstructing initiatives led by Spain to suspend the trade partnership agreement with Israel, amid rising popular pressure for a more assertive European stance.
These movements coincide with the 78th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, at a time when Palestinians face a devastating war in the Gaza Strip and escalating settlement and displacement operations in the West Bank—bringing the Palestinian cause back to the forefront of political and public discussion in Spain at an unprecedented pace.
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Writer: Counselor Faisal Al-Mutairi
Publication date: May 19, 2026
Update date:
