Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has reacted sharply to Barcelona footballer Lamine Yamal after the latter was seen holding a Palestinian flag during the Catalan club's championship celebration parade.
In a statement published in Spanish, Katz accused the footballer of inciting division at a sensitive time for Israel, which is in the midst of an armed conflict. He claimed that such stances constitute incitement to hatred and said that Israeli soldiers are fighting against the Hamas organization, which he held responsible for the attacks of October 7, 2023.
"Those who support such actions should ask themselves whether this is humane and moral," Katz said, adding that he will not remain silent about what he considers incitement against the Jewish people.
Israel's Defense Minister has also called on the Barcelona club to take an official stance and distance itself from statements or actions that, according to him, could be interpreted as support for terrorism, demanding "zero tolerance" towards any form of incitement to hatred.
