Mesut Özil repeatedly makes it clear whose side he is on in the Middle East conflict. He has now presented his 28 million Instagram followers with a picture in which he is erasing Israel from the map.
Barely any text, no explanation, no subsequent comment: Former national player Mesut Özil posted a drastic picture on Instagram on Tuesday. It shows a section of a map of the Middle East on which Israel is clearly crossed out. Below it is just one word: “Palestine”. As if it were completely normal to deny the State of Israel the right to exist, this is followed by a picture with friends and a video from the gym.
With 28 million followers, the reactions were not long in coming – especially the massive criticism.
CDU politician Julia Klöckner demanded that Özil should return his Federal Cross of Merit. In 2010, he received the Silver Laurel Leaf for the national team’s sporting successes at the World Cup in South Africa. This is the highest sporting award in Germany. Klöckner is probably alluding to this – Özil does not wear the Federal Cross of Merit.
Jewish sports association demands DFB reaction to Mesut Özil
The Jewish sports association Makkabi Germany also sharply criticized Özil for his contribution. Makkabi President Alon Meyer described the story as “anti-Israel” and said, according to DPA: “Of course we would like the DFB to comment on the matter and publicly distance itself from Özil.” An official statement from the German Football Association is still pending.
The former national player has repeatedly attracted attention in the past with political controversies and increasing radicalization. Last year, Özil shared a photo from the gym showing a tattoo on his chest: a howling wolf and three crescent moons. The symbol is one of the identifying marks of the Turkish, right-wing extremist “Ülkücü” movement. According to the North Rhine-Westphalian Interior Ministry, the so-called “Grey Wolves” are a heterogeneous Turkish right-wing extremist group. It is being monitored in Germany by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
