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Former NFL Player Julian Edelman Releases Statement About Israel-Palestinian Violence
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Julian Edelman. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Recently retired NFL player Julian Edelman spoke out on Wednesday against the ongoing violence in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians, which has resulted in casualties on both sides of the conflict.
The former New England Patriots wide receiver, who is Jewish, called the situation “complex” and ultimately urged a peaceful resolution.
“My heart is broken for the Israeli and Palestinian people,” he said in a statement that he shared on his various social media accounts. “Over the past few days, I’ve been asked to say something. I’m a proud Jew and a lover of Israel, but this is a complex issue, and somewhat beyond my ability to speak confidently about. So I’ll just say this: People are not their governments. Israelis and Palestinians are both warm and loving people, deserving of a safe prosperous existence.
“I can’t help but think of this picture. It was taken in Tel-Aviv a few years ago with my Israeli and Arab friends when we ate way too many Sambusak (cheese pastry). That night, we used the word ‘Yalla’ a lot, which means ‘let’s go’ in both Hebrew and Arabic. We are often more alike than we think.”
— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) May 12, 2021
The three-time Super Bowl winner has been outspoken in the past about his support for Israel and how Judaism plays a role in his life. He also offered guidance and assistance to NFL athlete Dean Jackson and NBA player Meyers Leonard about the Jewish culture and community after they separately faced backlash for making antisemitic comments.
By Thursday, Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip have already fired hundreds of rockets at Israel. The IDF said 650 terror targets in Gaza had been hit so far, with attacks continuing into Thursday, i24News reported.
