I’ve been a supporter of the Palestinian cause since before some members of the North Curve Political Party were alive. As someone who fights the corner of this club 24/7/365 my “Celtic credentials” are impeccable and knowing where I’ve been on the political spectrum and what I’ve done in my time I know my politics are too.
Regular readers have often lamented the political commentary on here.
I have a feeling this one will draw more fire than most, because I’m essentially agreeing with the club. They made one critical mistake in saying that politics should be left at the door; that’s a stupid statement and whoever penned that made an arse of it.
What he or she should just have openly stated is that certain types of politics should be left at the door, and I would have had no problem with that whatsoever.
There are some types of political expression which are beyond the pale and which I would never want to see anywhere near Celtic.
Sadly, for our club, there is a hardcore of our supporters who are becoming ever more extreme, ever more hateful and ever more intolerant. Not all of them are in The Green Brigade and when I talk about that section of our support it is not necessarily The Green Brigade I have in mind. But that banner was The Green Brigade.
That banner crossed the line.
I have said before that the left doesn’t have the equivalent of a Trump, that those kinds of sentiments do not take root on the left. And they don’t. That banner, whatever you might think of it, was not from the political left whatever its authors might have intended. That was not an expression of support for Palestinians either.
No, in talking about “victory to the resistance” that banner appeared to celebrate Hamas and its attack on the civilian population of Israel and something like that has no place in our support or any support anywhere.
When I say that banner has no place on the left I mean just that.
A banner which could be perceived – and it’s not much of a stretch to do it – as cheering on Israeli deaths could just as easily have been flown by a support on the far fringes of the right.
It is an extremist view.
In expressing support for the “resistance” it goes way beyond merely showing solidarity with the people of Palestine.
In fact it does the complete opposite.
If you are cheering on Hamas today – almost incomprehensible in light of some of what they are doing – you’re doing so in the full knowledge that all their actions have accomplished is to bring retribution of the most severe sort down on the heads of the very people you are rooting for.
Because it is ordinary Palestinians who will pay the most appalling price for Hamas’s attack, an attack which did not target political infrastructure, which did not target military facilities or personnel but was focussed almost entirely on the murder of civilians … and we’re still supposed to be pissed off by that, we’re still supposed to be offended by it, we’re still supposed to be outraged.
How people who mourn for the Palestinians can support the murder of Israeli civilians in furtherance of that cause … it defies belief. It’s a grotesque contradiction.
One of the things this website is most critical of the club across the city for is its embrace of, and even celebration of, militarism. We are surrounded by it. But those who would condemn the poppy as a symbol of oppression and even murder have no business whatsoever putting up a banner which even seems to be in support of an oppressive organisation such as Hamas.
No wonder our former Israeli player, Nir Bitton, is appalled.
No wonder Liel Abada has held talks with the club.
You may question the wording of Bitton’s statement as you like, but he is fully entitled to his outrage at a banner which appears to offer sympathy to an organisation murdering Israelis indiscriminately and at the time of writing holding over 100 of them hostage.
I read comments during the weekend that these guys should remember who paid, and pays, their wages.
That’s a bullshit argument and I’m having none of it.
Bitton gave us years of outstanding service. He served in the Israeli army, and was proud to have done so and not once during his time here did he ever complain about Palestinian flags. Nor has Abada. Banners supporting people killing Israeli citizens … that’s where these guys and the club are fully entitled to say that enough is enough.
That banner glorified violence, and that’s a step across the big red line.
Anybody who doesn’t realise that needs to think on it again.
There is a difference between supporting the oppressed and cheering on people being killed.
Some of the songs emanating from some sections of our support – such as those mocking dead Ibrox players and kit-men – are loathsome degenerate filth. So is The SAM Song, which is not about commemorating the Irish War of Independence but about the celebration of war itself. Which is what I frequently scorn the other lot for.
No wonder our club is increasingly sick of this stuff, and between that and people openly trying to pick fights with the police, I worry that we’re heading for a major split.
Days like today almost convince me that one is not just inevitable but might be necessary. There are certain elements within our support who need to be weeded out and I can’t put it more bluntly than that.
As I write this, the events of the weekend continue to take a terrible toll.
The number of dead in Israel has almost reached 1000, most of them civilians, over 260 of them people murdererd whilst attending a concert. There is no justification whatsoever for that.
Nor is there any justification for the Israeli defence minister openly boasting about having all of Gaza “under siege” and denied food, water, fuel or medical supplies.
That’s an area of 2.5 million people; he’s talking about a war crime and if Israel follows through, they should be condemned for it by every civilised country and those responsible should, along with Putin, stand trial in some future time and place.
But they won’t be of course, and that’s part of the problem.
Many prominent journalists and politicians, some of them Israeli’s, have said much the same thing. It’s a tragedy, all of it, and none of it should be celebrated or cheered on or glorified.
Dr King said it best.
“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate…Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.”
That banner at the weekend was a disgrace, coming at a time when civilians were being murdered and the whatabouttery and asking where is is the club’s condemnation of Israel won’t cut it with me one bit; our club has taken no position here and doesn’t seek to. We’re a football club and we cannot be a club “open to all” if our posiiton is that if you’re an Israeli you have no place here.
Anyone who believes that is following the wrong team.
It is a section of our support, all on its own, which has chosen to take a side … and not a good one at that. Neither side in this conflict has clean hands, but Hamas just wants to kill Israelis and we can’t, as a club, be seen to support that either in statements or in silence. It’s a grotesque position to put those running Celtic in and I knew they would respond to it, I knew how they would respond to it, and I knew that I would support them when they did and I do so now without equivocation.
That banner did not simply support Palestinians, which no right thinking person would ever condemn.
It supported violence. It glorified war.
I’m not even going to pretend to be okay with that.
Some people have told me that The Green Brigade intended that banner to be at Parkhead at the weekend before they were aware of the Hamas attacks. I was aware of them at the game, and I’m pretty sure that others were. The very act of putting them up at that point crossed the very same line I’m talking about, and it doesn’t change a word that I’ve written. This is something that should never damned well have happened.
Well said James.
Great article James
Great piece James. I worry about the effect of this banner on our standing in world football. We look like pariahs supporting Hamas. Needs to end now.
Spot on. While I love my football team and enjoy the added atmosphere the Green Brigade bring to our games I 100% detest the position they adopt such as on Saturday. Do they actually assume the majority of our support agree with their position in Non Football related matters, do they actually believe their protest will have any bearing on what is now a horrific situation and finally the club unfortunately need to raise the argument by advising fans that similar type protest will result in Ban orders for those in charge and that certain displays are banned. Again, those choosing to hold the banners identified by CCTV and seat number will be banned without appeal (just my thoughts) and finally anyone within the club who disagree should either hand back their season ticket or consider why Brother Walfred set up our club and be guided with that ethos.
I totally agree with you James and tens of thousands of Celtic fans will do as well.
Once again, the GB have overstepped the mark and selfishly decided that they speak for the entire Celtic support. They always have to have their say, no matter what.
Whilst most of us genuinely support the Palestinian cause, nobody would condone what took place over the weekend. The loss of life on both sides is unfathomable. As you correctly commented, hundreds If not thousands of Palestinians sre going to pay the ultimate cost for these actions.
IMO, the Club have pandered to the GB in recent times but they had to do something on this occasion. I doubt the Club will follow this up with anything further.
It’ll just be a slap on the wrist and no doubt the GB will have something to say or display at the Remembrance Sunday game (live on Sky)
Like their poppy banner a few years ago, they’re going to put a few Celtic fans in difficult positions when they are berated over this.
Keep it Celtic, but they won’t.
Well done for that very fair, politically neutral article. The Green Brigade may at times enhance the incredible atmosphere, but I believe that the ignorant and uneducated morons who attached themselves to the group, should be isolated and banned from the ground.
There is no excuse for politically motivated sentiments as we are only there to support our team and that includes the outstanding Israeli players who have graced Celtic Park.
Spot on James
I just wish some of the Green Brigade would go away – the promotion of a cause it entirely different from the promotion of hatred and they should have no place at Celtic Park
Well said James. Violence on civilians begets more Violence on civilians, the Palestine tragedy goes on and on.
As someone who lived through the Cold War, I actually feel the World is a more dangerous place these days. With powerful despots and fundamentalist religion having so much power and influence things are grim.
As someone who has always criticised the State of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, I’ve got no time for the Hamas fundamentalists and their ideology.
The individuals within the GB should be raising these banners at political demonstrations if they feel strongly enough, not at Celtic Park. Celtic fans are a cross section of political opinions, I would say most of them lean to the left politically, but not all.
Modern players come from all over the World and their personal backgrounds and beliefs should be respected.
Well said.
Excellent piece. Very well put.
very ,very disappointed James, i agree about the IRA stuff, the kit-man songs and other hateful stuff we seem to be indulging in these days, but your guff about ‘neither side in this conflict’ really is beyond the pale.
What conflict would this be?, is it the one where a military super power, on a daily basis tortures and murders children, humiliates and kicks to death old women, uses the most advanced aircraft to attack housing schemes while starving and depriving a whole population of water and medical treatment, while the other side sucks it up, day after day, week after week, year after year?. What do you think being the victims of genocide feels like, from the day you are born , and they’re throwing grenades into the maternity wards, through life where you never leave your ghetto prison, and where you watch your loved ones tortured ,brutalised and murdered, you think this is some sort of conflict, a fight if you will, a disagreement between equals, what do you think that feels like. What do you think that does to the the mental health of people who spend their whole lives under the cosh of facists, seeing daily atrocities, where your persecutors like those in the deep south, like to pick on the children, to condition and brutalise, and beat to death at 14 years old, to torture at 10 year olds, yeah ,quite a conflict.
Don’t take my word for any of this stuff(although up until today, I thought you’d be knowledgeable about this stuff) , go to the testimonies of the perpetrators them selves , the people who carried out the atrocities on a daily basis, they don’t talk about any conflict, they talk of horror and shame, of unbelievable cruelty, of brainwashing, of nearly all the victims being innocent of any crime, more shame, and gratuitous cruelty towards people who are next to no threat to you, and have been defeated for years.
But you see, what happens when you take it past the point of horror, oppression, gratuitous violence, of child murder and genocide, then you leave these brutalised, damaged products of your facism, with not only no life, no opportunites, happiness, child hoods, or chance of a normal life free from oppression, you leave them with no hope, not for themselves , their loved ones or their children, you leave them with nothing, and this means nothing to lose, and why then would you not choose to die fighting, its not like you can save your family anyway, absolutely nothing to lose, its all gone, sanity, dignity, life, love, kicked out of you.
The very fact these people elected Hamas in the first place should have been a little clue to what had been done to them, and where they were at. And lets not forget, for them the killing didn’t start on Saturday, like every other month in every other year, they already had 260 dead, and the year wasn’t even done, because this has been their reality for decades.
Love your writing so very, very disappointed James to see you attempt to draw some equivalence.
There is no moral equivalence here brother. Not in the least. The Palestinian people live under constant siege, in what amounts to what one journalist today called “an open air prison.” What they have suffered over the years is absolutely criminal and it has been relentless and sustained for years. But Hamas have murdered civilians simply because they are Israelis and that’s indefensible. Deliberately killing civlians is murder. Israel should know, it’s done it many times.
The Israelis have been dispossessing, torturing and murdering Palestinians for decades, ‘simply because they are Palestians’. This is we are told not terrorism. Hamas, who received 66 per cent of the vote in the last free Palestinian election, escape from the biggest prison in the world and attempt to fight back. Apparently this is terrorism. I don’t t get it!
Well it’s quite simple.
When the Israelis do it it IS terrorism. Same as when Palestinians do it.
Where were your comments when the Israelis murdered 169 peaceful demonstrators doing a walk to commemorate being forced from their villages, when live rounds were used to murder men, women and children. Were these not innocent people?,were these not civilians. Don’t forget either, unlike the attack on the Israeli civilians, this was not a ‘one off’ mass murder, but a continuation of daily mass murder, on what you term innocent civilians, as I mentioned, 260 dead Palestinians this year, before the weekends trouble, this is normal, this happens every year, every day of every year to ‘Innocent Civilian’ Palestinians, indefensible!.
Where were my comments? Are you daft? Where were they? Not on a CELTIC SITE, that’s for damned sure.
You know why? WHAT THE FUCK DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH CELTIC? You clown.
You Sir are a complete moron.
Celtic FOOTBALL Club, take your opinions and views and go support another team, there is absolutely no reason why this should be getting discussed at our club, we are a football team not a political party.
98% of our supporters are ashamed of this nonsense, enough is enough, ban those bunch of NEDS ( GB) from our club now, and you along with them.
I honestly wouldn’t have a clue about the rights and wrongs of the ongoing conflict and I don’t watch the news (it’s been too depressing since Covid to watch for me personally) so I’ll leave comments on that to others who are better placed and more informed to comment…
However the club saying that politics must be left at the front door –
Fair enough but, but, but, then…
Does this mean no more poppies on display across Celtic strips worn at their work by their players ?
Does this mean the end of £10,000 of Celtic Football Club’s charity funds ceasing to be donated to Brit Crown Forces Benevolence Funds ?
Just askin like…
If them’s the rules n’ all that !
I couldn’t have put it better myself. Glorifying the death of innocent civilians, of whatever hue, faith etc. Is never acceptable.
Bravo James. I’m on the CPG on Palestine, fear for the family of my friend Nadia’s family and will always support the Palestinian cause. Yet that stupid thoughtless banner does nothing to help those in the process of being ‘obliterated’ nor shows the slightest humanity for the families of those innocent civilians in the last few games. The Palestine conflict is not a game, it’s a matter of life and death. Celtic would be better off without our self proclaimed conscience. We are a club full of supporters of different beliefs but I had hoped the one thing we all had in common was an abhorrence of violence. Apparently not.
“At a time of loss and suffering for many, it is entirely inappropriate for any group of individuals to use Celtic Park as a vehicle for such messages.”
If that doesn’t reaonate with any Celtic fan then I am afraid I have nothing in common with that person other than we want the same football team to win a game of football.
That was absolutely shocking what they did. It was shameful, disgusting behaviour.
I’m going to start with the most mind numbing bit of you post tonight James, and that’s the idiotic reasoning on who pays who’s wages so therefore they don’t have a right to voice their opinions!!! Whaaaaaaat!!!! And I’m fully behind Nir and however he wants to word his statement at this very, very sad and traumatic and emotional time for him and Liel and I use their first names because they are part of our bigger family and should be treated as so. Another person we shouldn’t forget about at this tragic time is another one of our faithful former servants and Celtic family member and that is Beram who as we know is Palestinian/Israeli. He will be feeling the same as his Israeli counterparts but from a Palestinian perspective, and I bet if you asked him as someone as a child grew up there will be as equally disgusted at the green bridge. You see as a club we cross all divisions.
But what we must put at the forefront of our thoughts at these times is the poor victims, which is usually the likes of us, the casualties of war, the public. These poor people are the victims of these foolish political leaders and their own self centred agendas and we need more from the likes of yourself and the MSM to call these people out.
Make no mistake, this tragedy was allowed to happen from those above, higher up the chain. And you are right these people, these leaders who perpetuate these bloodbaths should be paying for their war crimes, from the leaders of hammas and Benjamin Netanyahu (who has become a dictator btw) because of his treatment of Palestinians to Assad in Syria and Putin and Zelensky for the massacres going on in the Ukraine and of course even our very own Tony Blair.
We, the sovereign people of the world only want peace, we just want to go about our daily lives being happy and helping our fellow brothers and sisters. We need to be rid of these narcissistic psychopathic egomaniacs. They are the ones that cause these issues, they are the ones who bring out the worst in people like the green brigade.
Love and prayers to all in Israel and Palestine who are being subject to this hate and terror at the moment. The Celtic family are with you all. God bless.
Very well said Sir
I deplore violence in every way. Innocent people on both sides have been killed , think about that for a minute.People that want to go about their daily lives without fear living in the Gaza strip and Israel.There are people who are Israeli that are opposed at what is happening in Gaza.
Thanks James.
We’ve had our differences in the past but I am so grateful for your words. Words matter and yours matter a great deal.
Those behind those banners are using the club, my club, our club for their own personal gain. Well past time it stopped. The Club has said no more.
Hopefully what I believe to be the silent majority will support the club in their stance .
Again, many thanks.
Ever since the news came in from Israel I was waiting for some moronic section of our support to shame themselves and the club. I haven’t seen the banner but I’ll take your word for it. I’ve no wish to become embroiled in politics and there are many things I could say on this issue…the issue being the underlying issue, the hatred of Jews. However, if I wish to do so there are other political and social arenas to do so (not the case under Hamas).
“We’re a football club and we cannot be a club “open to all” if our posiiton is that if you’re an Israeli you have no place here.” Substitute ‘Israeli’ for Jew. Moslem Israelis should find a welcome, if a somewhat rabid, distorted, degenerate welcome. The key, however, is the first four words of the quote.
Most other blogs if not them all will stay away from this or will offer no opinion. I applaud you James.
Going to the game on Saturday I looked at these young guys in the green brigade collecting money for food banks thought to myself that’s great work and should be the way Celtic support should always be thought of.Then minutes later I see some of them taking pictures of policemen working at the game.My son and I know many more policemen who have been season ticket holders and go to away games before the green brigade were formed shouldn’t have to put up with this crap.I have since been informed that they take pictures and find out they’re addresses and put it on social media.When is the Celtic board going to grip of this they are so weak and need to weed some of these guys out before serous damage is done
If you think the issue here is hatred of Jews, then your comprehension of what’s involved is very shallow. You should read some of the articles in some of the Israeli papers, such as Haaretz, w ho lay the blame squarely at he feet of Netanyahu; the issue here is his particular nasty ,self serving, extremely rightist government which has been persecuting Palestinians for a long time, but has got worse this past couple of years. The rest of the world, chiefly the west has chosen to ignore this. Under these circumstances some kind of kick back was inevitable, and what happened was a particularly vile example of this; but it has its origins in many failures.
Excellent piece James, needed to be said.
agree wholeheartedly james….i too support the palestinian struggle…and abhor the isreali treatment of palestinians in gaza and the westbank…
but the hamas atrocities were/are disgusting….from the middle ages…and how those GB imbeciles could arrogantly display banners in support…it gives a terrible image of celtic and their fans….the GB doesn’t speak for me.
GB appear to be a law unto themselves…it’s time the club took steps to kick them out once and for all…expel all in that area and give the tickets to celtic fans….