๐จ IF THIS WERE IRAN OR RUSSIA...
Every front page in the West would be demanding action.
Every politician would be calling for sanctions.
Every news channel would be running wall-to-wall coverage.
Instead, international activists are kidnapped, detained, abused and paraded in front of cameras, and used as props for political theatre by Itamar Ben-Gvir.
And we're told this is normal.
The backlash is now SPREADING across Europe.
Spain has condemned the treatment of its citizens.
Italy has demanded explanations and the release of its nationals.
Even European leaders who have traditionally avoided direct confrontation with Israel are being forced to respond.
This is about whether international law means anything at all.
Or one country gets to operate under a completely different standard.
Spanish politician Irene Montero asked the question that millions are now asking:
"What would you do if it were Iran? If it were Russia?"
And that's the question nobody seems willing to answer.
So let me get this straight. FIFA is threatening to penalize Iran for not coming to the world cup in the United States, which just bombed the hell out of them and this is the same FIFA that gave the president of the country that bombed them a peace prize.
Iโd like to congratulate @RyderCupEurope on their victory. Your team play the first few days was sensational.
More importantly, Iโd like to apologize for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage.
As a former player, Captain and as an American, I am ashamed of what happened. #RyderCup
Paul Laverty's post-release statement shows his legal training and deep humanity. He must have run rings around them in the police station. Not a hint of terrorism, violent intent or antisemitism on display here. Surely the charge cannot stand.
If only there were half the outrage over Israeli soldiers shooting starving people queuing for food as there has been towards some rappers mouthing off at Glastonbury, we'd be in a very different place