Mo Salah has expressed his support for the people of Gaza through a reply to UEFA’s X account, which had posted a message of remembrance for Palestinian footballer Suleiman al-Obeid.
Al-Obeid, known to fans as the ‘Palestinian Pele’, was shot and killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday while waiting for humanitarian aid in southern Gaza, said the Palestine Football Association.
UEFA have subsequently posted a photo of Al-Obeid on their X account with the words: “Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the ‘Palestinian Pele’.
“A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times.”
In what has become a running theme among media outlets and corporations seeking to remain ‘impartial’, the account chose not to detail how he died, therefore not highlighting the IDF’s brutality.
Salah is among those to have commented on the post, writing: “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”
In the four hours following the Egyptian’s tweet, his words were viewed nearly 30 million times, with many praising Salah for speaking out.
The voice of Liverpool’s No. 11 carries significant weight, especially in the Middle East, as one of the most influential Arabic speakers in the world.
Following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas – a designated terrorist organisation that controls much of Gaza – which killed about 1200 people, the Israeli Defence Force increased its violence against the people of Palestine.
Within the first month of Israel’s demolition of Gaza, Salah used his voice to call for humanitarian aid to be allowed in and for world leaders “to come together to prevent further slaughter of innocent souls.”
This hasn’t happened.
Since October 7, 2023, the IDF has killed at least 61,000 Palestinians and children are now starving due to the lack of aid being allowed in.
When aid does arrive, reports of massacres while civilians queue, such as the one that killed Al-Obeid, have been a regular occurrence. Israel won’t allow foreign journalists into Gaza.
— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) October 18, 2023
Though now not permitted inside Anfield, Palestinian flags have been waved frequently at Liverpool events, and a black banner that read, ‘For God’s sake, save Gaza’ was held up on the Kop in 2023.
Ian Byrne MP, an Anfield regular, said: “To the Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank and around the world – You Will Never Walk Alone.
“We won’t stop speaking out until the genocide ends and Palestine is free. That was the message I brought from Liverpool to the national demonstration for Palestine today.”
#Salah #shows #support #Gaza #calls #UEFA #online #post #Liverpool
