Fury in Egypt over Ghana's Israeli flag waver

AreliusIV · 06-20-2006, 11:01 AM

John Painstil's act to wave the Israeli flag exposed the Black Stars to the possibility of suicide bombing attack. Anything that is attached to Israel is considered a legitimate target by some lunatics in this era of rampant senseless suicide bombing. Some in the Arab media are already saying that it is Ghana's clear endorsement of the atrocities committed against Palestinians, with some pointing to the recent killing of a Palestinian family who were at the beach enjoying themselves. Ghana's foreign policy sympathizes with the Palestinian cause and even though they might have won Israeli friends they have lost more of their traditional Arab and Islamic supporters.

AreliusIV · 06-20-2006, 11:03 AM

The Ghanaian Football Association has apologised after defender John Pantsil waved an Israeli flag

Old Ska · 06-20-2006, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deuce

Show me one quantifiable connection that is not based in hate and anti-Semitism that connects that particular Ghanaian player with Egypt and the rest of the Muslim world.
Other than he plays in Israel, there is nothing!

Paintsil was a loud-mouth in the Egyptian press during the African Cup of Nations. Ghana fell out of that competition in spectacular fashion, and some of the press coming out of Egypt that I read seemed to be happy that Paintsil's team dropped out just cause people hated Paintsil (in no small part, from what my Arabic speaking colleagues tell me, because he was extremely open and even over the top about his Christian beliefs).

The world is a small place, and soccer makes it even more so. Add in religious, political, and ethnic tensions and a small act like waving a flag of the most violatile region in the world becomes a huge thing. You can bet that Paintsil knew exactly what he was doing and what the reaction would be. I'll even bet that he knew that there would be explicitly religious overtones to what he did and will eventually admit it in public. If I am not mistaken, Egypt and Israel are still technically at war, or were until just a couple of years ago...their disingagement agreement wasn't a true truce (much as how the US and North Korea are still technically at war). In that context any waving of an Israeli flag is exactly cognate to a player waving an Al-Qaeda or North Korean flag.

Don't get me wrong...I think this is one of the coolest things I have seen a player in a World Cup do in a long time.

AreliusIV · 06-20-2006, 11:13 AM

John Paintsil

AreliusIV · 06-20-2006, 11:15 AM

John Paintsil...

Deuce · 06-20-2006, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Ska

Paintsil was a loud-mouth in the Egyptian press during the African Cup of Nations. Ghana fell out of that competition in spectacular fashion, and some of the press coming out of Egypt that I read seemed to be happy that Paintsil's team dropped out just cause people hated Paintsil (in no small part, from what my Arabic speaking colleagues tell me, because he was extremely open and even over the top about his Christian beliefs).

The world is a small place, and soccer makes it even more so. Add in religious, political, and ethnic tensions and a small act like waving a flag of the most violatile region in the world becomes a huge thing. You can bet that Paintsil knew exactly what he was doing and what the reaction would be. I'll even bet that he knew that there would be explicitly religious overtones to what he did and will eventually admit it in public. If I am not mistaken, Egypt and Israel are still technically at war, or were until just a couple of years ago...their disingagement agreement wasn't a true truce (much as how the US and North Korea are still technically at war). In that context any waving of an Israeli flag is exactly cognate to a player waving an Al-Qaeda or North Korean flag.

Don't get me wrong...I think this is one of the coolest things I have seen a player in a World Cup do in a long time.

Thanks Ska... however I said show me one that is not based in hate and anti-semitism... so far everyone quotes history between Israel and Egypt but there is still no connection between Ghana and Egypt.

I think he knew what he was doing as well and the more I think about the more I hope he does it again... but that would mean he would score against the USA if he is not out on yellow cards!

It has been a pretty interesting subject...

soccerman · 06-20-2006, 11:26 AM

We all know why the Arab world is pissed about him waving an Israeli flag and I'd just as soon not have them cheering for the U.S. They won't anyway. The only thing they would cheer for is if someone blew up the stadium while the game was in progress.

Deuce · 06-20-2006, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AreliusIV

John Painstil's act to wave the Israeli flag exposed the Black Stars to the possibility of suicide bombing attack. Anything that is attached to Israel is considered a legitimate target by some lunatics in this era of rampant senseless suicide bombing. Some in the Arab media are already saying that it is Ghana's clear endorsement of the atrocities committed against Palestinians, with some pointing to the recent killing of a Palestinian family who were at the beach enjoying themselves. Ghana's foreign policy sympathizes with the Palestinian cause and even though they might have won Israeli friends they have lost more of their traditional Arab and Islamic supporters.

Good points but the Atrocities are on both sides of the equation... and in the current world climate... the suicide bombings were and still are a threat to all non-Muslim teams...

AreliusIV · 06-20-2006, 11:33 AM

Deuce: You have to look at it based on who is writing the article. I'm sure the whole Arab world got riled by what the Ghana player did, but the writer of the article is based in Cairo and was getting the reaction of Egypt. What I got from the article is that Egypt's reaction is a microcosm of the general reaction of the Arab world.

Deuce · 06-20-2006, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AreliusIV

Deuce: You have to look at it based on who is writing the article. I'm sure the whole Arab world got riled by what the Ghana player did, but the writer of the article is based in Cairo and was getting the reaction of Egypt. What I got from the article is that Egypt's reaction is a microcosm of the general reaction of the Arab world.

Are you saying that because it was written in Egypt that it is ok?

It is just the way it is... so I should just accept it and move on?