Egyptian soccer star Mohamed Salah threatened to quit Premier League football club Liverpool if Israeli player Moanes Dabour joined the team, alleged Israeli media.
It was said that the star player’s grievances were due to Israel’s hostile occupation of Palestinian territories.
Over 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from Palestine when West Jerusalem was occupied by Israel in the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. This is referred to as the Nakba, or catastrophe, when Israel was officially founded.
Eastern Jerusalem was occupied by Israel in 1967, although this annexation has never been recognized internationally. A UN vote in December 2016 declared that Palestinian territories were under “hostile occupation.”
Salah in the past refused to shake hands with Maccabi Tel Aviv players, pretending to be busy tying his shoelaces instead.
Egyptian soccer sensation Mohamed Salah, 26, had been named the Player of the Year by the Football Writers' Association.
