The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on UEFA, European football’s governing body, to clearly state who murdered Palestinian soccer star Suleiman al-Obeid, and to state how and why he was murdered.
In its tribute to the al-Obeid, UEFA only stated: “Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the ‘Palestinian Pelé’. A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times.”
Liverpool soccer star Mohamed Salah posted in response: “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”
SEE: Mohamed Salah questions UEFA tribute post for ‘Palestinian Pele’ Suleiman al-Obeid – NY Times
According to a statement by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), al-Obeid was murdered by Israel on August 6 while waiting to collect food for his family in Gaza. The PFA says 662 Palestinian athletes and sporting officials have been slaughtered by Israel in the past 22 months. Some 288 sport facilities have been damaged or destroyed in Gaza.
Israel has slaughtered more than 61,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children. Israeli forces also murdered almost 2,000 starving Palestinians desperately seeking food for their families under Israel’s campaign of forced starvation in Gaza.
Israel’s campaign of intentional famine has cause at least 217 starvation death in Gaza, including 100 children. So far today, Israel has killed at least 52 Palestinians, including 26 starving people seeking food.
SEE: Doctors detail the daily deluge of Gazans shot while seeking food – Washington Post
In a statement, CAIR said:
“It is unacceptable for UEFA — an international sports body that claims to promote human dignity and fairness — to issue a sanitized tribute that ignores the brutal reality of how Suleiman al-Obeid was murdered by Israel. Al-Obeid was not only a symbol of Palestinian athletic excellence, but a victim of Israel’s systematic slaughter of civilians, athletes, journalists, medical personnel, first responders, and humanitarian workers during its ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“UEFA has a moral obligation to name the party responsible for his murder and to stand against the use of slaughter, mass destruction, forced starvation and ethnic cleansing by Israel. We urge UEFA to correct the record and honor al-Obeid with honesty.”
On Friday, CAIR joined more than 90 Muslim scholars, imams, community leaders, and institutions in the United States and several other nations today released a joint statement expressing their view that the governments of Muslim-majority countries, including Arab Muslim nations located near Palestine, can take “immediate and concrete action” to secure an end to the Israeli occupation’s escalating genocide in Gaza.
Also on Friday, CAIR welcomed a German arms embargo on Israel over its genocide in Gaza and called on nations worldwide to follow suit.
Last week, CAIR said a statemen by the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) that some 12,000 children under five in Gaza are suffering from acute malnutrition “should shock the world’s conscience” and lead to concrete action against Israel’s campaign of forced starvation.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR also called on the Trump administration to cut ties with a reported anti-Muslim mercenary leading security for the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in Gaza.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com