- DFB distances itself from Özil's comments
On his Instagram account, former national player Mesut Özil continues as if nothing has happened. Last night, he published a picture of himself on a yacht, greeting with the words: "Enjoying Istanbul". There's a lot of noise in the background.
Özil had posted a controversial image on Instagram on Tuesday. The image showed a map of the Middle East with Israel clearly crossed out. While he didn't say it explicitly, by deleting Israel from the map, he seemed to deny the country's right to exist.
This sparked immediate sharp criticism in the Jewish community and German politics. CDU politician Julia Klöckner called for Özil to be stripped of his "Bundesverdienstkreuz" on social media. She likely meant the Silver Laurel Leaf, which Özil received for his achievements as part of the German national team.
DFB criticizes statement sharply – but doesn't name Özil
The Jewish sports organization Makkabi Germany reacted to the Instagram post by demanding that "the DFB also expresses its opinion and publicly distances itself from Özil."
At least regarding the content of the post, the German Football Association has now taken a stance. The umbrella organization told stern: "The right to exist of Israel must not be called into question. Therefore, the DFB clearly distances itself from any statements in this direction." The DFB press office did not mention Özil by name in their response – a follow-up inquiry remains unanswered.
The former footballer's anti-Semitic stance was also heavily criticized elsewhere. The "Bild" said CSU General Secretary Martin Huber: "Unbelievable, unacceptable. Mesut Özil is with his open anti-Semitism and his proximity to the Grey Wolves a prime example of failed integration. Good that he no longer plays for Germany."
The backlash against Özil's actions continued, with the "anti-Israel" image on his Instagram post being widely condemned. Following the DFB's statement, CDU politician Markus Söder also joined in, stating, "The anti-Israel post by Mesut Özil is a disgrace and a clear breach of the values we stand for in Germany."
