Israel: Mesut Özil posts “Free Palestine” picture

Sports After Hamas Terror

Mesut Özil posts “Free Palestine” picture

Status: 13.10.2023 | Reading time: 2 minutes

Mesut Ozil

Quelle: Getty Images/Lars Baron

Erdogan, Uyghurs and now Palestine: This is not the first time that former German national player Mesut Özil has taken a stand on political issues on social networks. His current post raises questions.

Former soccer world champion Mesut Özil expressed his regret over the deaths of more than a thousand people in Israel and the Gaza Strip, but at the same time expressed his solidarity with Palestine. The 34-year-old added the hashtag #FREEPALESTINE (free Palestine) to a picture on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.

The photomontage shows Özil in a shirt on which the Turkish and Palestinian flags merge and the words “Özgür Filistin” (Free Palestine) can be seen. In addition, a child wearing an Özil jersey with the number 23 shows an armed man – presumably an Israeli soldier – the red card.

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“Please stop the war!!!”

“Praying for humanity. Pray for peace. Innocent people and especially innocent children lose their lives in war – on both sides. It’s so heartbreaking and sad. Please stop the war!!!,” wrote the former German national player, himself a devout Muslim, about the picture on Friday.

On Saturday, terrorists from Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, carried out a massacre in Israel. More than 1,200 people were killed and at least 3,391 injured. According to official information, around 150 people were also abducted to the Gaza Strip. Since the Israeli counterattack began, more than 1,537 Palestinians have been killed there, including around 500 minors and 276 women.

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Özil has caused a stir with his political statements several times in the past. In December 2019, the then Arsenal FC professional criticized the oppression of the Uyghurs in China on social media. Chinese state television then canceled the broadcast of the top game between Arsenal and Manchester City. In addition, Özil was removed from the Chinese version of “eFootball PES 2020”. In Germany, Özil’s closeness to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was met with criticism.