El Ghazi releases statement as Mainz lift suspension for Israel-Hamas war post
Anwar El Ghazi has called for an end to "the killing in Gaza" on social media after Mainz lifted his suspension for posting about the Israel-Hamas conflict.
El Ghazi only joined the Bundesliga side in the summer transfer window but was suspended a fortnight ago after a social media post about the conflict in the Middle East. That suspension has come to an end, with Mainz issuing him with an official warning.
After a meeting with the club's board, he will be allowed to return to training and matchday-related activities. Two days after that decision was announced by the German side, El Ghazi has published a fresh statement.
He has reiterated his stance that he condemns the killing of all innocent civilians. And he called for the violence to end, as the number of causalities continued to rise.
"For the avoidance of doubt, my statement on 27 October 2023 was my only and final statement both the FSV Mainz 05 and the public relating to the social media posts made by me over the last few weeks," the Dutchman wrote.
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"Any other statement, comments or apologies to the contrary attributed to me are not factually correct and have not been made or authoritised by me. My position remains the same as it 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. I am against Islamophobia. I am against anti-Semitism. I am against genocide. I am against apartheid. I am against occupation. I am against oppression."
El Ghazi was suspended by Mainz a fortnight ago (CHRISTOPHER NEUNDORF/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)In El Ghazi's absence, Mainz have failed to win a game and sit rock bottom of the Bundesliga. He could return for the DFB-Pokal clash with Hertha Berlin on Wednesday, and concluded his statement by highlighting the horrific number of children being killed in the fighting.
"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," El Ghazi added.
"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 it was against me, my parents, my relatives and kinsmen.
"There can never be any justification for the killing of over 3,500 children in Gaza in the last three weeks. How can we as a world remain silent when according to the charity 'Save the Children', one child is being killed ever 10 minutes in Gaza.
"That's nine children killed by the time I complete one football match. That number is rising by the day. I, and we as a world, cannot conscionably remain silent. We must call for an end to the killing in Gaza now."
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