Former boxer Amir Khan has claimed people are ‘scared’ to come out in support of Palestine amid an ongoing war with Israel.
Khan took to social media platform X to say, in a lengthy post, that ‘Palestinian lives matter’ and that he has ‘never been scared to speak’ his mind.
‘My entire career, my aim was to become a world champion and use my fame and influence to make a positive change in the world,’ his post began.
‘I’ve never been scared to speak my mind and stand up for the down trodden. Recently when Ukraine was attacked by Russia, I personally flew to Poland to support the Ukrainian refugees who had been displaced by the effects of war.
‘So many people spoke up about these atrocities but as the world watches what is unfolding in Palestine, I see so many of my peers, friends and colleagues who are remaining silent. Why?
Amir Khan has become the latest sportsperson to comment on the Israel-Palestine conflict
In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), Khan spoke his mind while over in the UAE
‘It’s become apparent that people are scared to show their support for Palestine and what’s worse is that it’s my own people who are talking down to me for supporting the innocent lives being lost.’
He added: ‘Palestinian lives matter. The world will remember who spoke up and who didn’t. And God will remember who stayed silent while innocent Muslims blood was spilled.
‘If any one kills a person – it would be as if he killed the whole of humanity: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the whole of humanity.’ *Quran 5:32*’
Khan is ther latest prominent sports star to have shown support for Palestinians in the wake of the roiling conflict in the region following the attacks by terror group Hamas in Israel on Saturday.
Hamas terrorists launched rocket strikes on Israel and invaded parts of the country on Saturday, killing civilians and kidnapping others with swift retaliation later following.
Israel’s army has hammered Hamas with thousands of strikes ahead of what is widely expected to be a ground invasion of the crowded territory, after Hamas gunmen killed 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and took about 150 hostages.
In Israel, the death toll from Saturday’s assault rose to 1,200 – making it the deadliest attack in the country’s 75-year history, while Gaza officials reported more than 900 people killed as Israel pounded the territory with air strikes.
Palestinians evacuate wounded after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023
Smoke plumes billow during Israeli air strikes in Gaza City on October 12, 2023
Earlier on Thursday England cricket vice-captain Moeen Ali posted and then deleted a picture including a Palestine flag in an apparent show of support for the territory.
His initial post on social media site Instagram featured a quote from activist Malcolm X accompanied by his image on a mural, which also featured the Palestinian flag.
The quote read: ‘If you’re not careful the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing’.
The original post was subsequently deleted, and replaced by the quote itself, typed against a black background with a black and white photo of the American Muslim minister.
The sharing of both posts – and deleting of the first – comes hours after Ali shared that he had once avoided growing a beard over fears of being labelled an ‘extremist’.
Few sportspeople have made statements either in support of Israel or Palestine, but Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny changed his X (formerly Twitter) picture to that of a Palestinian flag in recent days.
Moeen Ali shared and later deleted a photo including a Palestinian flag as he seemed to show support for the territory
Ali first shared the quote as part of an image of a mural, then with a photograph of Malcolm X