Skepta has addressed a resurfaced 2007 photograph showing him with an Israeli flag, saying he was “young and naive” and that it was meant to excite fans ahead of his first Tel Aviv show, not to make a political statement. The response comes amid heightened scrutiny of public figures’ positions on Israel and Palestine.

The rapper has previously voiced support for Palestine, including a 2021 social-media post. He has also faced criticism over his PUMA partnership because of the company’s Israeli football sponsorship, and in 2024 removed artwork criticised for evoking Nazi concentration-camp imagery; he said he would be more mindful. Skepta recently released the house-influenced EP ‘Más Tiempo Vol. 2’ and is preparing his next album, ‘Fork And Knife’.