Mainz 05, a Bundesliga club, has taken action against Dutch forward Anwar El Ghazi by suspending him on Tuesday for a controversial social media post related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. El Ghazi, who only joined Mainz in September, has since removed the post.
The Israel-Hamas conflict has been the source of international concern due to ongoing violence. The deadly conflict recently escalated, with Hamas fighters causing the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel’s history on October 7, leading to the tragic loss of 1,300 lives. In response, Israel initiated intensive air strikes, resulting in the deaths of more than 2,800 Palestinians.
Mainz 05 released a statement expressing its respect for the diversity of perspectives regarding the long-standing Middle East conflict. However, the club made it unequivocally clear that they found El Ghazi’s social media post “unacceptable” and believed it did not align with the club’s values.
The specific details of El Ghazi’s deleted post were not disclosed by the club.
Anwar El Ghazi, a former Aston Villa winger, addressed the situation with a separate social media post. He mentioned that he had received negative messages in response to his previous posts. El Ghazi emphasized his stance on peace and called for greater empathy and a deeper understanding of the historical context surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Mainz 05, currently struggling in the Bundesliga, holds the 17th position, second to last, with only two points after seven matches.
