Gary Lineker got into a Twitter spat with several prominent Israeli figures after posting a video of Palestinian children being arrested in the West Bank.
The former footballer turned BBC pundit retweeted a video created by Jerusalem-based human rights group B’Tselem showing Palestinian youths being arrested by Israeli security forces in Hebron and locked in a small cage.
Lineker tweeted the video along with the caption ‘sickening’, but soon found himself in the middle of a debate between several prominent pro-Israelis who criticized him, and hundreds of others who came to his support.
Gary Lineker came under fire after retweeting a video showing Israeli soldiers arresting Palestinian youths in the West Bank town of Hebron
Chief among them was Peter Lerner, spokesman of the Israel Defense Force, who said Lineker’s tweet had ‘completely missed the point’.
‘When kids throw stones they are a public menace. They need to be stopped. Yes, the video is unpleasant but it conveniently shares only a glimpse of what happened, the aftermath of their actions. You should be wiser than this. #Fail.’
B’Tselem makes it clear on their website, where the video was originally published, that the youths had been throwing rocks before the military arrived.
However, these moments are not shown in the video.
Film director Ken Loach was among the most prominent figures defending Lineker, tweeting: ‘Well said Gary – every responsible person should share your response.’
Peter Lerner, spokesman of the Israel Defense Force, was quick to condemn Lineker’s tweet, saying he had ‘completely missed the point’
But others came to his defense, including film director Ken Loach, who suggested that ‘every responsible person’ should side with him
Mohammed Shafiq, a commentator who speaks out against Islam extremism, also praised Lineker’s ‘commitment to humanity’
Mohammed Shafiq, a commentator who speaks out against Islamic extremism, also praised the pundit.
He wrote: ‘I salute your commitment to humanity and support for Palestinian children. Bless you always. Enough respect.’
On the other side of the argument was Michael Dickson, executive director of Israeli advocacy organisation Stand With Us, was also among those to go after Lineker.
Speaking about Ben White, the journalist who posted the video that Lineker retweeted, he wrote: ‘Gary, you have used your position to retweet a renowned antisemite, with a discredited video, attempting to smear servicemen and women who fight daily against terror.
‘You have no context to what you posted, you have no knowledge of radical terrorists or how youth are used by them.’
Arsen Ostrovsky, an Israel-based lawyer and political analyst, also hit out at Lineker.
Journalist Liam O’Hare also came in to bat for Lineker, giving him ‘respect for refusing to be silenced’
Arsen Ostrovsky, an Israel-based lawyer and political analyst, also hit out at Lineker, accusing him of having double standards
Dickson, executive director of Israel advocacy group Stand With Us, also took issue with Lineker, saying he has ‘no knowledge’ of the subject
He said: ‘What is “sickening” Gary is that you would willingly RT such an extremist and bigot as Ben White! #Factsmatter’
While Lineker ignored the post by Dickson, he got into lengthy exchanges with both Lerner and Ostrovsky in which he stood his ground.
He insisted that he was not ‘picking sides’ but simply disagreed with the detention of children, and called for them to be given ‘basic human rights’.
Lineker also distanced himself from White, and instead pointed back to the content of the video, which was shot on October 13.
Another figure coming in to bat for Lineker was journalist Liam O’Hare, who said: ‘It’s an odd world we live in when someone is hounded for speaking up against child abuse.
‘Respect to Gary for refusing to be silenced.’
That means it dates from before Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, prompting fresh violence in the West Bank, including around Hebron.
The video shows members of the Israeli Defense Force arresting Palestinian youngsters who had been throwing stones at them
At the end of the footage, several of the youths are shown locked in a cage. B’Tselem said they were detained shortly after Friday prayers and released around 10pm the same day