Athletes Rise Up to Defend Palestinians
LONDON (Dispatches) – Leicester City duo Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana held up a Palestinian flag after their side clinched the FA Cup with a dramatic victory over Chelsea.
During the post-match celebrations as players did their lap of honor, Choudhury and Fofana were pictured holding a Palestine flag aloft.
The move was a show of solidarity with Palestinians who have faced intense bombardment, air strikes and persecution from Zionist troops in recent days, causing the death of over 140 people.
Palestinians have come out in protests across many cities in recent days, sparked by a Zionist court decision to evict a number of families living in the East al-Quds neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.
Online, social media users and fans have praised the football players for their act of solidarity and amplifying the voices of Palestinians.
Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, penned a letter to Leicester City Football Club, addressed to Choudhury and Fofana thanking them for their support.
"Allow me, on behalf of the Palestinian government and people, to extend our profoundest gratitude that, in your moment of FA Cup triumph, Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana used the historic occasion to show solidarity with the plight of the Palestinian people,” the letter read.
"For a people beleaguered, occupied and under intense bombardment for daring to stand up for their rights, your gesture could not be more timely and appreciated,” it added.
Fans Rally Behind
Arsenal’s Elneny
Football fans and social media users have rallied behind Egyptian star Mohamed Elneny, after his club Arsenal held talks with one of its sponsors over the midfielder’s pro-Palestine social media post.
On Monday, Elneny joined a host of footballers who shared messages of solidarity with Palestinians, amid the recent escalation in the occupying regime of Israel’s violence in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and al-Quds.
At least 181 Palestinians have been killed by the Zionist regime’s air strikes on Gaza, including 52 children as of Sunday.
Amid the rising tensions, Elneny wrote: "My heart and my soul and my support for you Palestine,” accompanied by images of al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian flags.
However, the statement prompted Tal Ofer, deputy at the Board of Deputies of British Jews, to write to Arsenal and the club’s sponsors raising concerns.
During the post-match celebrations as players did their lap of honor, Choudhury and Fofana were pictured holding a Palestine flag aloft.
The move was a show of solidarity with Palestinians who have faced intense bombardment, air strikes and persecution from Zionist troops in recent days, causing the death of over 140 people.
Palestinians have come out in protests across many cities in recent days, sparked by a Zionist court decision to evict a number of families living in the East al-Quds neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.
Online, social media users and fans have praised the football players for their act of solidarity and amplifying the voices of Palestinians.
Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, penned a letter to Leicester City Football Club, addressed to Choudhury and Fofana thanking them for their support.
"Allow me, on behalf of the Palestinian government and people, to extend our profoundest gratitude that, in your moment of FA Cup triumph, Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana used the historic occasion to show solidarity with the plight of the Palestinian people,” the letter read.
"For a people beleaguered, occupied and under intense bombardment for daring to stand up for their rights, your gesture could not be more timely and appreciated,” it added.
Fans Rally Behind
Arsenal’s Elneny
Football fans and social media users have rallied behind Egyptian star Mohamed Elneny, after his club Arsenal held talks with one of its sponsors over the midfielder’s pro-Palestine social media post.
On Monday, Elneny joined a host of footballers who shared messages of solidarity with Palestinians, amid the recent escalation in the occupying regime of Israel’s violence in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and al-Quds.
At least 181 Palestinians have been killed by the Zionist regime’s air strikes on Gaza, including 52 children as of Sunday.
Amid the rising tensions, Elneny wrote: "My heart and my soul and my support for you Palestine,” accompanied by images of al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian flags.
However, the statement prompted Tal Ofer, deputy at the Board of Deputies of British Jews, to write to Arsenal and the club’s sponsors raising concerns.