Israeli footballer photoshops image of Pogba carrying Palestinian flag, thanks him for his ‘support’
Footballer Eran Zahavi has shared a photoshopped image of Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba carrying an Israeli flag, after the French World Cup winner expressed support for Palestine following a Premier League match.
Pogba was seen carrying a Palestinian flag around the Old Trafford pitch with Ivorian teammate Amad Diallo after the 1-1 draw with Fulham on Tuesday, having apparently been handed it by a supporter in the stands.
The gesture from the duo was the latest show of support from football stars after Leicester City players Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana displayed Palestinian colors after the FA Cup final against Chelsea last weekend.
Pogba later took to Instagram, sharing an image of himself with the flag and writing: “Let’s keep our world safe and free from violence. Pray for Palestine.”
But just as he did after Choudhury and Fofana posed with the Palestine flag at Wembley on Saturday, Israeli footballer Zahavi responded to Pogba with a message of his own.
Sharing a mock image of the French World Cup winner and Diallo carrying an Israeli flag instead of a Palestinian one, Zahavi wrote on Instagram: “Thanks guys, we appreciate your support all over the world.”
He followed that up with a message to his 338,000 followers reading: "Now when I got your attention this is time to explain the real situation.
“None of you know the roots of the conflict and maybe you don’t even know where is Gaza or Jerusalem on the map, so better use your social media to call for peace from both sides then everything will be more simple!”
Zahavi went on to share a clip on Instagram Stories describing the roots of the current flare-up from the Israeli perspective, blaming militant group Hamas and accusing them of using the people of Gaza as ‘human shields’ as they attack Israel.
The 33-year-old Zahavi plays his club football for PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, having previously featured in Serie A with Palermo and in the Chinese Super League.
He has 25 goals in his 66 caps for Israel, and began his career in his homeland at the Hapoel Tel Aviv academy.
The striker’s comments come after a week in which his family were robbed at gunpoint when two men broke into their Amsterdam home.
Zahavi himself was training with PSV at the time, and while possessions were stolen his family emerged unharmed from the incident.
The footballer spoke of the harrowing incident, saying he had contemplated returning to Israel but stayed after support from the Dutch club.
Over in the footballer's homeland, the deadly flare-up between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants is now into its second week.
Fighting has claimed the lives of more than 200 people in Gaza, including dozens of children, as well as at least 12 Israelis.
