Israel-Hamas: a Nice defender relays the call to hatred of a Palestinian preacher, Estrosi reacts

2023-10-15 10:09:21

The first scene takes place after the preparation match for the African Cup of Nations between Algeria and Cape Verde. The Fennecs have just won 5-1. Youcef Atal is an Algerian international as a right-back. He was the author of a decisive pass during this match played in Constantine in Algeria. He has played at OGC Nice since 2018. When leaving the field, Atal wears a scarf with the inscription “Palestine will be free”.

He posts the image on his social networks a few days after the Hamas massacres in Israel. Later, Youcef Atal goes further. He reshares on his Instagram account a video of Palestinian Sheikh Mahmoud al-Hasanat, who calls on God to send “a black day on the Jews” and, according to Nice morning, “to follow the hand of the inhabitants of Gaza if they throw stones”. Which therefore looks like a call for an Intifada. “A call to hatred, even to kill Jews” according to a Nice doctor interviewed by our colleagues from Nice-Matin.

Mahmoud al-Hasanat is not a moderate imam. In 2019, after the fire at Notre-Dame, he lectured Arab leaders, asking them to save their tears and money for mosques rather than for a cathedral “from which a crusade against Muslims was launched”. Investigators also found his name in the investigation into the attack on the Notre-Dame basilica in Nice. A few hours before taking action, the Tunisian terrorist, who had slit the throats of three parishioners on October 29, 2020, had also shared videos of Mahmoud al-Hasanat.

Youcef Atal deleted his post which is no longer visible. But it went back to the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi who asked the player to apologize, giving him the benefit of the doubt of having been manipulated. “I expect Youcef Atal, if he allowed himself to be exploited, to apologize and denounce the Hamas terrorists. If this were not the case, he would no longer have his place in our club. » OGC Nice, for its part, did not react and the courts have not received a report in this case.