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Anwar El Ghazi has taken to social media to clarify his stance on the on-going conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine.
The former Aston Villa and PSV star was recently suspended from training and matchdays at German club Mainz – where he signed as a free agent at the start of the season.
He had made a pro-Palestine post on social media, which – although swiftly deleted – the Bundesliga side felt did not align with their values as a club.
Now, he has taken to social media once more to reaffirm his position and to claim that the original statement made on October 27 was his ‘only and final’ statement to both his club and the public.
Anwar El Ghazi has reiterated his stance on the on-going conflict in the Middle East
El Ghazi had previously posted on social media describing the war as ‘genocide and mass destruction’
He added that any other statements or comments issued in his name or attributed to him ‘are not factually correct,’ before outlining his position.
‘My position remains the same is was when this started:
- I am against war and violence
- I am against the killing of all innocent civilians
- I am against all forms of discrimination
- l am against Islamophobia
- I am against anti-Semitism
- I am against genocide
- I am against apartheid
- I am against occupation
- I am against oppression’
‘I do not regret or have any remorse for my position. I do not distance myself from what I said and I stand, today and always until my last breath, for humanity and the oppressed.
‘I do not owe special responsibility to any state. I do not believe any people or states are beyond question and accountability nor are they above International law.
‘I have no choice but to stand firm for justice and bear witness to the truth and would do so even if was against me, my parents, my relatives and kinsmen.’
The 28-year-old added that he believes there cannot be any ‘justification’ for the reported 3,500 child deaths that has arisen as a result of the conflict in the last three weeks, citing Save The Children statistics that claim one child is being killed ‘every 10 minutes in Gaza’.
‘That’s 9 children killed by the time I complete 1 football match. That number is rising by the day.
El Ghazi claimed that the conflict has resulted in 3,500 child deaths in Gaza over the last three weeks
The player had his suspension lifted by Mainz after sharing a seemingly pro-Palestine post two weeks ago
‘I, and we as a world, cannot conscionably remain silent.
‘We must call for an end to the killing in Gaza now!’
El Ghazi reportedly returned to his home country The Netherlands after his initial statement was greeted with a ban.
Mainz’s statement in response detailed how the club believes it has a ‘special responsibility to the state of Israel and the Jewish people’, in part in a nod to their club’s heritage.
One of Mainz’s founding members Eugen Salomon was Jewish, and stripped of his role in the club in 1933 as the Nazi government began the Aryanisation of the sporting industry.
Salomon was later murdered in the Holocaust, and the club’s stadium is named in his memory.
‘The club’s board made it clear to Anwar El Ghazi that employees of the club are bound to a code of values,’ a section of the club’s statement read.
‘Implicit in this code of values is a special responsibility to the state of Israel and the Jewish people, not only due to past events in German history, but also stemming from the shared history with one of FSV’s founding members and member of the Jewish community, Eugen Salomon.’
Breaking his silence last week, El Ghazi apologised for his earlier statements being ‘misunderstood’ as he sought to share a message condemning the killing of civilians
El Ghazi wrote: ‘I condemn the killing of all innocent civilians in Palestine and Israel.
‘My sympathies are with the innocent victims of this conflict irrespective of their nationality. I am committed to a peaceful and integrated Middle East region.
The player shared the post but was quick to delete it after discussion with Bundesliga club
The player previously featured for PSV Eindhoven, joining Mainz as a free agent this summer
‘To the extent my previous statements on social media have been misunderstood, I would like to make clear that I stand for peace and humanity for all.’
In the wake of El Ghazi’s suspension, club representatives met with General Consul of Israel for South Germany Talya Lador-Fresher.
El Ghazi is one of only a handful of football players that has broken their silence amidst roiling conflict between Israel and Hamas in the region.
In Germany, Bayern Munich opted not to sanction Noussair Mazraoui after the right-back shared pro-Palestine posts on social media.
