Anwar El Ghazi admitted that he had been left in Shock after he was fired by Mainz because of a series of social media posts about the conflict of Israel-Gaza, before a German court ruled that his contract had been wrongly ended by the club.
El Ghazi, 29, took an unlawful dismissal claim last season at the Labor Court of Mainz after his deal was torn on November 2, 2023. In July he won the case and then received a payment worth approximately £ 1.3 million from the club.
He promised to donate € 500,000 (£ 417,000) to projects that support children in Gaza.
Mainz, who appeals the decision, originally suspended the player on October 17 after posting a message, including the controversial expression 'from the river to the sea', which, according to some critics, implies the destruction of Israel on social media .
However, the interpretation has been disputed by some Pro-Palestinian activists who say that those who use the message to end Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and not the destruction of the State itself.
El Ghazi's lawyer insisted that his function was protected by freedom of expression, despite the fact that Mainz stated that the position of the winger about the conflict was not 'acceptable' for the club.
“This is not a conflict and it is not a war,” was his post, which was shared on his Instagram story, concluded. 'This is genocide and mass destruction and we witness the live. Palestine will be free from the river to the sea. '
El Ghazi opened his test for the first time for the first time since he won in court, the athletics said: 'It was during the international window when we got a few days off.
'I was just crying on the couch because of the images – horrible images and videos – I had seen from dead children and dead people in Gaza.
“I really became emotional and yes, I felt the urge to post something.”
El Ghazi says that he has been 'against war and violence', 'against anti -Semitism' and 'for peace above all', so that he motivates Palestinians to support Palestinians.
His suspension was initially eliminated after Mainz stated that he was 'distance from his position' in conversations with the club and that he 'regretted it'. However, El Ghazi replied that this was not in fact the case.
The official reason for the club for its looting was 'comments and messages' on social media.
“My family has always taught me to do the right thing if that is what you think is good, to stand up for justice,” said El Ghazi. 'It is a sensitive case for many people.
“People are scared. I know that many players who just don't want to talk about it because they know they will have problems with it.
“And I had something like:” Why should we get into trouble? ” If you see dead children, dead people, how can you live with yourself if you don't speak out? '
He added: 'Of course I did not expect this reaction. Especially if you think you are doing the right thing. I was also in shock. I didn't know what was happening.
'I was in my hotel room, I didn't even have an apartment (in Mainz). I was just there, alone, stared at the ceiling and thought of everything.
'I don't know what would have happened if Nujum (sport, a non-profit organization for Muslim footballers) was not around me because my family, my friends, was everyone in shock. We didn't know what to do.
“I felt alone. The club did not support me at all. They didn't even have a conversation from a welfare perspective. I found out that I was suspended from my agent.
“I didn't even know – so that says enough.”
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