09 October 2023 , 17:40
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Former Celtic star Nir Bitton has hit back at supporters of the Scottish club after fans unfurled a banner showing solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Bitton, who plays internationally for Israel, returned to his home country to join Maccabi Tel-Aviv in 2022. He had spent nine seasons with the Bhoys before the switch, winning nine Scottish Premiership titles.
His comments came in the light of attacks on Israel from Palestinian group Hamas, with Israel responding with air strikes of its own. More than 800 Israelis have been reported dead, including at least 260 at the site of the Supernova music festival, with the Palestine Health Ministry in Gaza reporting (at the time of writing) that 560 had been killed in the territory.
Two banners were held up by Celtic supporters as the team took on Kilmarnock. One read 'Free Palestine' with the other bearing the message 'Victory to the resistance'.
Bitton shared a photo of the banners on social media, adding a caption. "Shame on you" it began. "Yes free Gaza from Hamas not from Israel."
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The veteran described Hamas as a "terrorist organisation". It is considered as such by Israel, as well as by a number of western nations including the UK, but the UN General Assembly voted down a proposal to label the group in this manner in 2018.
He also told supporters to "Stop being brainwashed". "As a father of 3 kids I want to see how you react when your innocent kids get slaughtered and kidnapped in front of your eyes," he wrote. "And please don't tell me this is what Israel do to Palestinians because this is far from being true."
Nir Bitton shared his comments on Instagram
The Israel international spent nine years as a Celtic player (PA)Over the weekend, Celtic fan group Green Brigade, re-shared photos of the two banners, as well as further messages reading "Free Palestine" and "F*** Bitton". "Green Brigade stands with Palestine," they wrote.
Green Brigade's solidarity with Palestine is nothing new. The group has flown Palestinian flags during matches at Celtic Park, while also selling merchandise to help raise funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians, which pledges to deliver "a future where all Palestinians can access an effective, sustainable and locally-led system of healthcare, and the full realisation of their rights to health and dignity".
“We are deeply alarmed by the mounting civilian death tolls in Gaza, Israel and the occupied West Bank and urgently call on all parties to the conflict to abide by international law and make every effort to avoid further civilian bloodshed, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, wrote in a statement published on Saturday. "Under international humanitarian law all sides in a conflict have a clear obligation to protect the lives of civilians caught up in the hostilities.
“Deliberately targeting civilians, carrying out disproportionate attacks, and indiscriminate attacks which kill or injure civilians are war crimes. Israel has a horrific track record of committing war crimes with impunity in previous wars on Gaza. Palestinian armed groups from Gaza, must refrain from targeting civilians and using indiscriminate weapons, as they have done in the past, and most intensively in this event, acts amounting to war crimes.”