Social media has witnessed a public confrontation between the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the Moroccan footballer Hakim Ziyech, who plays for Wydad Casablanca, following the latter’s criticism of Israel’s policies towards Palestinian prisoners.
Background to the crisis
According to Al Jazeera Net, the tension began when Ziyech posted a photo of Minister Ben-Gvir on his official Instagram account, coinciding with the Knesset’s debate on legislation relating to the “death penalty”, and accompanied it with a comment questioning the legal and moral justifications for such laws.
Ziyech said: “Will [Ben-Gvir] claim this time that the passing of the new law is merely self-defence?”
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The right-wing minister’s response was not long in coming, as he sharply attacked Ziyech, saying: “An anti-Semitic player cannot lecture the State of Israel on morality.”
He added in a threatening tone: “From now on, Israel will no longer deal cautiously with its enemies… Since I took office, the prisons have changed, and God willing, we will apply the punishment to all militants.”
The controversial legislation
This row follows the Knesset’s approval in late March of a bill allowing the death penalty to be imposed on perpetrators of armed attacks, legislation which received the support of 62 MPs.
The bill has sparked widespread reactions from international and Palestinian human rights organisations, which have expressed concern over the fate of thousands of detainees in Israeli prisons amid reports of deteriorating living and health conditions within detention centres.
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Political reactions
On the official front, Morocco’s Justice and Development Party has weighed in on the crisis, issuing a statement expressing its solidarity with Hakim Ziyech.
The party described the player’s stance as “humane and courageous”, arguing that his expression of opinion on the issue of prisoners reflects the sentiment of the Moroccan public and the Kingdom’s historical positions on the Palestinian cause.