Deputy mayor of Jerusalem criticises Gary Lineker over pro-Palestinian tweet

Deputy mayor of Jerusalem has lashed out at Gary Lineker after he shared a tweet of Israeli bulldozers demolishing a Palestinian school, arguing that it was hypocritical of him to point at human rights abuses in a different country while covering the World Cup in Qatar. 

Lineker shared a tweet from the left-wing human rights organisation B’tselem, which showed a demolition of the school in West Bank Palestinian village of Massafer Yatta, showing children crying inside the small school.

“Awful,” Lineker said in his tweet, causing Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum to lash out at the ex-footballer, saying “Oh @GaryLineker what a special person you are worrying about the Palestinians whilst you sit in a stadium where tens of thousands of workers were abused to build many died and we will never even know their names. But this makes you a real humanitarian pat yourself on the back.”

Lineker has, however, voiced harsh criticism against both Qatar and FIFA during his World Cup coverage for BBC, causing the network to receive over 1,5000 complaints.

“Ever since FIFA chose Qatar in 2010, the smallest nation to have hosted football’s greatest competition has faced some big questions. From accusations of corruption in the bidding process to the treatment of migrant workers who built the stadiums, where many lost their lives,” Lineker said.

“Homosexuality is illegal here, women’s rights and freedom of expression are in the spotlight. Also, the decision six years ago to switch the World Cup from summer to winter. Against that backdrop, there’s a tournament to be played. One that will be watched and enjoyed around the world. ‘Stick to football’, say FIFA. Well, we will, for a couple of minutes at least.”

Human rights organisations as well as the European Union have warned repeatedly about Israeli demolitions in Masafer Yatta.

The European Union condemned Israel’s demolition of the school, saying “this unacceptable development comes while 1,200 Palestinians in Masafer Yatta remain at risk of forced transfer following the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision in May, and against the backdrop of an increasingly coercive and intimidating environment for the Palestinian residents of Masafer Yatta, including the movement restrictions imposed on them, teachers and humanitarian responders.”

“The EU calls on Israel to halt all demolitions and evictions, which will only increase the suffering of the Palestinian population and further escalate an already tense environment,” the statement concluded.

Israel’s High Court of Justice upheld an expulsion order earlier this year on part of the area of Masafer Yatta in which some 1,000 Palestinians live, to make room for a military firing and training zone by Israel. The dispute over the area goes back as far as 1981, but the residents have succeeded in evading eviction for decades, until this year.