Anwar El Ghazi, a Dutch winger of Moroccan heritage, announced that he will donate €500,000 ($560,000) from his Mainz payout to support children in Gaza.
“I want to thank Mainz for two things. Firstly, for the generous financial settlement, 500k will be dedicated to projects for Gaza’s children,” El Ghazi stated on X.
“I hope Mainz finds some comfort in knowing that despite their repeated attempts to avoid paying, they have indirectly contributed to easing the lives of children in Gaza through me,” he added.
“Secondly, by trying to silence me, they have only amplified my voice for the oppressed and voiceless in Gaza,” the 29-year-old said.
After being dismissed for a pro-Palestine post, El Ghazi sued German club Mainz. The Mainz Labor Court ruled that his statements were protected under freedom of expression, deeming his dismissal “invalid.”
The court ordered that El Ghazi continue to receive his monthly salary of €150,000 ($163,500) and be reinstated.
Mainz had initially suspended and warned El Ghazi in October for using the phrase “River to the sea” on Instagram. Following discussions, Mainz 05 management announced that Anwar El Ghazi had been pardoned.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” refers to the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
El Ghazi completed a transfer to Cardiff City as a free agent on a one-year contract in August.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
