Arsenal are being pressured by one of their sponsors to take action against Mohamed Elneny after the Egyptian midfielder tweeted support of the Palestinian people.

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 07: A view of branded signage as Lavazza continues to grow its partnership with Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum New York by supporting its latest exhibition "Giacometti" at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on June 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Lavazza )
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 07: A view of branded signage as Lavazza continues to grow its partnership with Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum New York by supporting its latest exhibition “Giacometti” at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on June 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Lavazza )

Mohamed Elneny tweeted during the week “my heart and my soul and my support for you  Palestine,” as fighting continues to rage in the region leaving 136 people dead in Gaza along with 950 injured (Palestinian figures) with eight dead in Israel (Israeli figures).

https://twitter.com/ElNennY/status/1391751626503901210

The JC pushed Arsenal for a statement on the tweet with the club telling them that Elneny was entitled to express his opinion but that they would be “speaking to Mo about this so he understands the wider implications”.

They also report that Board of Deputies of British Jews official, Tal Ofer contacted the Lavazza Group, which sponsors Arsenal and makes coffee, who said, “We’ll immediately reach out to Arsenal to remark we are concerned about the club associated with such a message.

“Content of this post is totally not aligned with our company values. Lavazza Group is fully committed against racism and antisemitism.”

Ofer also contacted Adidas about the issue, although they did not respond while he also called on the FA to suspend Elneny. “I am also sad that Arsenal did not want to deal with this more seriously, I would expect better from them than this,” he added.

It shouldn’t need saying but it is perfectly possibly to criticise the state of Israel for their actions without being anti-Semitic, just like it is possible to criticise Italy without being anti-Catholic.

Elneny didn’t even do that, he simply offered solidarity with people who are being wiped from the face of the planet by a nuclear state. If that’s not a message you want to get behind then that says more about your company than Mohamed Elneny.

Violence is never the answer and, while both sides claim they are simply defending themselves, when one side has total and utter control over the other, it is anything but a fair fight.