Hamza Choudhury: Leicester player 'sorry for offence' caused by pro-Palestinian post
- Published
Hamza Choudhury has made 64 league appearances for Leicester City during his career
Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury says he is "sorry for any offence he has caused" with a social media comment often interpreted as supportive of Palestinian nationalism.
Choudhury wrote "From river to sea" with an image of a Palestinian flag on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
Critics say the phrase implies the destruction of Israel, but some pro-Palestinian protesters disagree.
Choudhury, 26, said his post has "unfortunately been misinterpreted".
The former England Under-21 midfielder, who deleted the post on Tuesday, said in a statement: "It was and is not my intention to cause offence to anyone but simply to show compassion for the innocent people that are suffering.
"I'm sorry for any offence this has caused. I share the hope of people around the world that a peaceful resolution can bring an end to the ongoing suffering of innocent people in this conflict."
The Football Association is aware of the original post by Choudhury and is understood to be considering whether it breaches any regulations.
Championship side Leicester said: "We have discussed the matter with Hamza, and shared our concerns that views expressed in this manner - without sufficient context on a deeply nuanced and sensitive topic - are open to misinterpretation, which risks unintentional offence among sections of our communities.
"The thoughts of Leicester City Football Club remain with all the innocent victims of the tragic events unfolding in Israel and Palestine, their families and the communities affected."
Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out said: "As events in the Middle East continue, we recognise that opinions are divided and we urge caution for those who take to social media where messages can be misinterpreted and can cause offence.
"As always, we would underline the importance of education so that all of football can better understand other communities and the impact of language. We reiterate our call for fans, players and all participants to show respect for each other at a difficult and tragic time."
During Saturday's pro-Palestinian march in London, some in the crowd chanted the phrase, referring to the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean.
Earlier this month, UK home secretary Suella Braverman urged police chiefs to consider interpreting the phrase as an "expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world". Israel and most Jewish groups agree.
This interpretation is disputed by some pro-Palestinian activists who say that most people chanting it are calling for an end to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza, not the destruction of Israel itself.
On Monday, Andy McDonald was suspended as a Labour MP, after the party said he had made "deeply offensive" comments relating to the Israel-Gaza war.
The MP for Middlesbrough used the phrase in a speech at a pro-Palestinian rally.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesman has said the phrase is "a deeply offensive chant to many".