CELTIC fans’ persistent pro-Palestine support has run them into trouble at times this season.
But their latest display could net the club a new PLAYER.
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Days after Brendan Rodgers admitted Liel Abada could leave the club and was not in the right frame of mind to play recent games, the Green Brigade continued to raise awareness of the conflict in Gaza.
The ultras were slammed for their first move in October where they held a banner in the match against Kilmarnock just hours after a deadly Hamas surprise attack on Israel.
Ex-player Nir Bitton and Israel national team boss Alon Hazan criticised the group’s stance in the aftermath.
They bedecked their section in colours of the Palestinian flag for the next match in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid and were subsequently BANNED from the ground.
It was said the lock-out decision was NOT related to that stance in itself.
But it did play a part, confirmed in a lengthy statement from the club which specifically highlighted displays on October 7 and a few days later.
Undeterred, the group returned to the ground late last year and has continued to show solidarity throughout the conflict in the region – during which time their Israeli winger Abada has also sat out matches.
He missed the latest draw with Killie but the pre-match display has found favour with former Everton, Aston Villa and Ajax ace Anwar El Ghazi.
So much so, he has offered to play for FREE after spotting the signs calling out “genocide” before Saturday’s 1-1 draw.
Ahead of the SPFL kick-off fans held a message that read: “Think about these past few months. Oh will they say we failed?
“30,000 + dead. 12,000+ children. End the genocide. End Zionism.”
The banner is a tweak to the song called Grace, written by Irish winger Jim McCann, and fans around the stadium were heard singing the lyrics in a planned protest against the ongoing tensions.
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The former Premier League star has two caps for the Netherlands and has also aired views on the conflict on his Instagram account.
The posts caused a dispute with the Bundesliga side in October leading to his contract being torn up after just three appearances.
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