Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal came under sharp criticism from Israeli political and media figures, most notably Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, after he was seen raising the Palestinian flag during Barcelona’s celebrations for winning the Spanish league title.
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Videos shared by several Catalan sports accounts on X showed the 18-year-old waving the Palestinian flag from the team’s open-top bus as Barcelona fans cheered during the celebrations. The images spread widely online, drawing significant praise from fans around the world while also sparking anger in Israel.
Ben-Gvir was among the most vocal critics, responding in a post on his official Facebook account.
He wrote that someone should explain to Lamine Yamal that he was raising the flag of an entity that “does not exist,” and alleged that it represents violence and terrorism.
He added that anyone who chooses to identify with what he described as a terrorist flag should not be surprised by hostility from Israelis.
Ben-Gvir was not the only Israeli public figure to criticize Yamal’s actions. Veteran journalists and activists also reacted.
Israeli journalist Tzvi Yehezkeli wrote on X following Barcelona’s title celebrations, questioning which flag players had raised during the parade.
He claimed it was the Palestinian flag and made further political remarks about the symbolism of the gesture. He also referenced Yamal’s background, noting that his father is a Muslim immigrant from Morocco.
Israeli Channel 12 commented that Yamal used the football celebration to express a political position, noting that while Barcelona players celebrated wearing club scarves, he chose to celebrate with the Palestinian flag.
