Mesut Özil, former German national player, has come under fire for sharing anti-Israel and antisemitic content on social media, prompting calls for the revocation of his prestigious sports award.
Özil, who has over 28 million followers on Instagram, recently posted an image of Israel’s map crossed out in red with the word “Palestine” underneath. This is not the first time he has shared such content; a similar post was reported by the “Jüdische Allgemeine” at the end of May.
In another post, Özil depicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in prison clothing, labeling him a “war criminal, child killer, and genocidal” figure. Last year, Özil also stirred controversy by getting a tattoo associated with the far-right Turkish “Grey Wolves” movement.
Calls for award revocation
Former Federal Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner (CDU) has called for Özil to return his Silver Laurel Leaf award, the highest honor given to athletes by the German President. Klöckner initially mistakenly referred to the Federal Cross of Merit but later corrected her statement.
Özil received the Silver Laurel Leaf in 2010 and 2014 for his achievements with the national football team. He retired from international football in 2018 following a contentious photo with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after the World Cup in Russia, and ended his professional career in 2023.
Context of the conflict
Özil’s posts come amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. According to the Palestinian health authority controlled by Hamas, over 39,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in Israel’s response to Hamas’ terror attacks. The accusation of Jews killing children echoes antisemitic conspiracy theories dating back to medieval times, known as the “blood libel” myth.
These developments highlight the complex intersection of sports, politics, and social media, raising questions about the responsibilities of public figures and the consequences of their online activities.
