BERLIN:
Anwar El Ghazi won a lawsuit against German Bundesliga club Mainz 05 for terminating his contract because he showed support for Palestine, according to German media reports.
The Mainz Labor Court ruled that the Dutch player’s statements fell within the scope of freedom of expression and his dismissal was “invalid.”
The court ordered El Ghazi to continue to be paid his monthly salary of €150,000 ($163,500) and to be reinstated.
Mainz first suspended and then warned El Ghazi in October about the “River to the sea” phrase he used on Instagram.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is a Palestinian slogan that refers to the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, which includes Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
El Ghazi has been a free agent since he was released by Mainz on Nov. 3 for “statements and posts on social media.”
He responded to the termination of his contract on X, writing: “Stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.”
“The loss of my livelihood is nothing when compared to the hell being unleashed on innocent and vulnerable in Gaza,” said the former Dutch international.
Before Mainz, El Ghazi played for Dutch clubs Ajax and PSV Eindhoven; England’s Aston Villa and Everton and Lille in France.
Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.
More than 38,300 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 88,300 injured, according to local health authorities.
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