Manchester, UK – Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistani cricket captain, has firmly denied allegations that he endorses the Zionist movement following a contentious incident in Manchester. The controversy erupted after Friends of Israel (FOI), a grassroots organization advocating for Israel, posted a photograph of Afridi with two of its members. The organization claimed that Afridi had shown support for their call to release hostages allegedly taken by Hamas.
In the photograph, Afridi is seen standing with two men, one of whom holds a flyer about Israeli babies purportedly kidnapped by Hamas. The flyer prominently features the hashtag #BringThemHome, a campaign urging the release of hostages taken on October 7. According to FOI, Afridi was pictured with their co-chair and deputy chair, and they publicly thanked him for his support.
Afridi quickly responded to the backlash, expressing disbelief and urging the public not to believe everything seen online. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify the situation, stating, “Imagine strolling down a street in Manchester (UK) and so-called fans approach you for a selfie. You oblige, and moments later, they upload it as some form of Zionist endorsement.” Afridi emphasized that his appearance in the photograph does not reflect his support for any political cause, especially those involving human suffering.
The cricketer, known for his global fan base, reiterated that he frequently takes photos with fans worldwide and that this encounter was no different. He expressed his sorrow over the suffering of innocent lives in Palestine and called for peace and an end to the conflict.
Author Fatima Bhutto weighed in on the matter, urging Afridi to comment. After his explanation, she remarked, “He commented and said he had no idea who they were. I guess they [the FOI] were keen to look like there were more than five people at their event.”
Despite Afridi’s clarification, FOI countered his claims, alleging that he willingly took a picture with their hostage placards and agreed to pose for a selfie with their leaflets. “You spoke to us of your own free will and posed for a selfie with hostage leaflets to support our cause,” they stated. The organization expressed disappointment over what they saw as Afridi yielding to external pressure.
Afridi firmly rebutted these assertions, stating he believed the selfie was with a fan and did not endorse FOI’s message. He requested the organization to delete the tweet, labeling it as inaccurate. FOI persisted, questioning whether Afridi opposed the release of the hostages and urging him to “OWN your actions!!”
The exchange continued with FOI claiming Afridi had approached them for a picture, further complicating the narrative. As of now, Afridi has not responded to FOI’s latest tweets.
The incident has sparked significant discussion, highlighting the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the ongoing conflict. Since the war began following Hamas’s October 7 attack, Israeli forces have reportedly killed over 37,266 people in Gaza, predominantly civilians. In a recent operation, Israeli forces rescued four hostages from Hamas in Gaza, an action that resulted in the deaths of over 200 Palestinians, marking one of the bloodiest assaults in the conflict.
Afridi’s predicament underscores the volatile nature of public endorsements and the importance of context in an era where digital interactions can quickly escalate into international controversies.