Former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was once asked to identify the greatest challenge facing any statesman. “Events, dear boy, events,” he replied.
The ink was barely dry on Liel Abada’s new contract at Celtic when events in Israel changed everything.
Five weeks after the winger signed a new four-year contract, his homeland was attacked by Hamas, with the violent aftermath raising questions about his ability to remain a player at the Parkhead club.
On October 7, Hamas and other Gaza-based militant groups launched a cross-border attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli officials.
Israel responded by launching a military campaign to eradicate Hamas, with the BBC reporting more than 20,000 deaths in Gaza, many of them women and children. Israel’s own military estimates suggest that several thousand Hamas fighters have been killed.
The fallout from Hamas attacks has raised questions over the future of Celtic winger Liel Abada
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Before the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock, Celtic’s Green Brigade ultra group held up a banner calling for ‘the victory of resistance’ in Palestine.
On a day when Hamas had just staged a massacre of innocents at a music festival and taken hostages, the banner sparked anger in Israel and among the Jewish community at large.
In a country that neither knows nor cares about the perceived parallels between Celtic’s history and the displacement of Palestinians, it was seen as a group of football supporters celebrating the slaughter of Jews and an act of anti-Semitism.
Weeks after signing a new contract with the Scottish champions, Abada found himself in an unenviable position. The pressure from home became as strong as the current of the Red Sea.
Former Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton branded the Green Brigade ‘brainwashed and biased’ and accused them of supporting a terrorist organisation.
Israeli international Dolev Haziza, a player for Maccabi Haifa, urged his compatriot to leave Celtic with immediate effect, saying: ‘Liel Abada…you should have left Celtic a long time ago. Go to another club immediately. God will bless you even more when you leave.”
Israeli manager Alon Hazan described Celtic supporters as ‘anti-Semitic’, forcing the club to respond on behalf of the vast majority of fans who simply want to watch their team win football matches.
National team winger Idan Vered played abroad for Red Star Belgrade before returning to Israel where he now plays for Hapoel Petah Tikva.
“Being an Israeli abroad connects you even more with your roots and Judaism, especially now during the war,” says Vered.
Celtic fans defied a ban by their club on displaying Palestinian flags during the Champions League match
“Everyone is doing great advocacy, whether it’s Manor Solomon, Liel Abada or Daniel Peretz.
‘In Liel’s case it’s even bigger because a lot of Celtic fans spoke out against it and it’s a stupid crowd behaving ignorantly. He’s a big boy and he’s doing great there.’
After October 7, Abada met with Parkhead directors, who promised to take the matter seriously.
Brendan Rodgers took him out for dinner and assured him he was an important and valued player at the club. Celtic also issued a statement distancing itself from the banner and warning that political messages were not welcome in the stadium.
Among the nearly 300 members of the Green Brigade, the club’s stance led to accusations of double standards.
Celtic players had taken the knee in support of Black Lives Matter and made gestures of support for the Ukrainian people as Vladimir Putin’s tanks crossed the border from Russia.
While support for the Green Brigade from the wider Celtic group was certainly not universal – the group of ultras remains deeply divided – the Champions League match with Atletico Madrid on October 25 was preceded by the display of Palestinian flags by fans at Parkhead.
When UEFA responded – as it often does – by opening a new disciplinary case against the Scottish champions, Celtic banned the fan group from home and away matches on the grounds of ‘repeated incidents of unacceptable behaviour’. The ban, they emphasized, was not related to the flying of Palestinian flags and banners.
In addition to a choreographed display, fans raised individual flags against their club’s wishes
Instead, they pointed to a series of “security-related” incidents involving the Green Brigade in September and October, while pointing to “evidence that the group used banners and flags relating to or associated with terrorist organizations involved in the conflict in the Middle East’.
The ultras’ suspension earned Abada praise from Israeli legend and former international teammate Eran Zahavi.
“I think the national team players do an excellent job abroad,” said the former PSV goalscorer.
“In the case of Liel Abada, you see that his club withdrew season tickets from people who supported Hamas.”
By the time the winger made his long-awaited return from injury as a substitute in the recent 2-1 win over Rangers, the Green Brigade had gotten rid of the mischievous move and were allowed to attend matches again. Trepidation was natural.
Fears of a mixed reaction from fans to Abada’s comeback proved unfounded. His arrival as a substitute for Luis Palma in the 83rd minute drew one of the loudest ovations of the match.
However, the response from his home country remains robust.
Since October, the 22-year-old has been under constant pressure to think carefully about his future, both from football figures and via social media.
On Instagram, Abada was tagged in a post in which an Israeli supporter burned a Celtic shirt. Under a Hebrew caption, one line in English read: ‘For all Celtic fans.’ Another branded him a “traitor to (his) country,” while a separate message read: “Shame on you for still being there.”
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Abada has made the situation difficult and testing. Coming on as a substitute in the 3-0 win over St Mirren in Paisley, the player left the pitch as teammates soaked up the cheers from the away fans. Every movement must now be carefully calibrated.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers assured Abada he was an important and valued player
Last week, Brendan Rodgers claimed the wide man – who wore a black armband against Rangers and St Mirren – was in a ‘good place’. Back fit, Celtic see him as a key player in the defense of their league title. A valuable asset that they would rather hold on to; pressure from Israel is testing that position.
When Abada signed a new contract on September 1, the Parkhead manager spoke of ‘significant interest’ in his services and Mail Sport now understands that there were five clubs potentially interested in signing the Israel international.
Rodgers has gone the extra mile to provide help and support to a young man conflicted by devastating events impacting the lives of close friends and family 3,500 miles away. The one thing he cannot do is relieve the psychological pressure exerted by those who want him to leave Celtic and play football elsewhere.
Despite a four-month layoff, the final weeks of the January term may yet test the strength of interest in Abada as criticism from his home country begins to take its toll.