The Israeli government condemned on Sunday Madrid and football giant Real Madrid for honoring Palestinian activist teenager Ahed al-Tamimi during a visit to the Spanish capital.
The 17-year-old was visiting Spain with her family to participate in various social and political events.
She was warmly welcomed by official media and she spent a busy week meeting with various officials to discuss her experience in resisting Israeli occupation.
Tamimi was pictured being presented with a Real Madrid club shirt on Saturday.
According to top Spanish sports daily Marca, she was offered a Real jersey and posed for photos with Emilio Butragueno, the club's former striker and now director of institutional relations.
However, Real Madrid has not issued any official statement regarding her invitation on its social networks or website. When contacted by AFP, the club declined to comment.
Daniel Kutner, Israel's ambassador to Spain, wrote on Twitter: “Ahed Tamimi does not fight for peace, she defends violence and terror, the institutions that have received and celebrated her indirectly encourage aggression and not the dialogue and understanding that we need.”
Emmanuel Nahshon, spokesman for the Israeli foreign minister, described the apparent welcome Real Madrid gave Tamimi as “shameful”, describing her as “a terrorist inciting to hatred and violence”.
Tamimi has become a figure of Palestinian resistance since spending eight months in prison for slapping two Israel soldiers. She was released in late July.
