Lineker faces backlash for reposting tweet calling for sanctions against Israel

Israel’s cheerleaders in Britain are pushing for the BBC to sanction Gary Lineker after the former England footballer reposted a tweet to his 8.9 million followers amplifying the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. The tweet called for Israel to be suspended from international sport due to its ongoing “genocidal attack on Palestinians.”

The reposted tweet was initially posted on X by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). The rights group was launched in 2004 following an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling which called for the dismantling of Israel’s illegal apartheid wall around and within the occupied West Bank. A statement by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) was attached to the original tweet.

The Palestinian Football Association calls on @iocmedia, @FIFAcom and all regional and int'l sports bodies to take an urgent stance on Israel’s grave violations of human rights and subject it to legal accountability measures. https://t.co/WLgKm4SIKY pic.twitter.com/jpg4JA2rNT

— PACBI – BDS movement (@PACBI) January 13, 2024

In its statement, the PFA called for the suspension of Israel from international sporting bodies over its genocidal attacks on Palestinian life and sports. The International Olympic Committee, FIFA and all regional and international sports governing bodies were urged to take an urgent stand against Israel’s grave violations of human rights and subject it to legal accountability measures.

The statement, in Arabic, is translated as: “The Palestinian Football Association calls on the International Olympic Committee, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) — in its capacity as the umbrella sponsoring football around the world — the Asian Football Association, all continental and international sports federations, and all relevant parties, to take an urgent stance against these flagrant violations… to subject Israel to legal accountability and provide protection for the Palestinian sports facilities.”

The PFA confirmed that it sent urgent letters to all of the major bodies mentioned, as well as the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation, the Arab Football Federation, all national federations, and relevant committees. It not only reviewed what sports and sports people are facing in Palestine as a result of the policies and practices of the Israeli occupation state, but also demanded the opening of an urgent international investigation into Israel’s crimes against sports and athletes in Palestine.

Although the original Arabic statement by the PFA was issued last month, the PACBI tweeted about the call for boycott over the weekend. It was reposted by Lineker, prompting the backlash from the right-wing media and pro-Israel lobby.

One MP has demanded that the BBC should intervene to sanction Lineker. Other supporters of the apartheid state used their right-wing, anti-Palestinian platform to condemn the presenter. The original tweet no longer seems to appear on Lineker’s X account.

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