Genocide and oppression is the reason Celtic exists, to deny the fans a voice on Palestine, is to deny why we exist
Eric Knott 
Craig Williamson - SNS Group/SNS Group/Getty Images
Celtic is a family.
It is an entity that brings us all together and unites us as one voice behind the club we all love.
However, in recent years, this family has become split, disjointed.
It has become more and more apparent that a small cohort of men see Celtic as their own plaything.
To do with as they wish.
There are a lot more important things in life than football, but to some, Celtic the club, plays a huge and important part in their lives.
Celtic has always championed the under dog, the oppressed, the poor, and the marginalised in society.
However, this is more down to the fans, the lifeblood of Celtic, than the people who run our club.
How can men who earn millions, which they could never earn if it weren’t for Celtic, truly understand what it is to be oppressed, marginalised, poor, or hungry?
For a while now, I have refrained from commenting on the situation in Palestine.
It’s not because I have any fear of the repercussions if I do, it’s because I’ve been seething with anger at what I’ve seen unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank.
When I’m angry, I don’t have a balanced view of things.
As of now, it is impossible to have a balanced view of the situation in Palestine.
Simply because now, there is zero justification for what Israel is doing there.
Palestine is being ethnically cleansed, right in front of our eyes.
To say otherwise is to deny reality.
To stay silent in the face of this ethnic cleansing, genocide, mass murder of children, well, that makes you complicit.
I am not going to be complicit.
This is what it is, there is no other terminology for it.
We are gone way beyond “Israel has the right to defend itself.”
Mass murder of women and children, targeting of hospitals and schools, this is not a country defending itself, this is one country wiping out another.
This is genocide.
In a world where everything can be captured on a mobile phone and uploaded to social media, no amount of propaganda can deny what is happening in Gaza.
In 1847 another genocide happened in Ireland, it is the reason that Celtic exists.
It may now be in the deep dark annals of history, but that does not change the fact that it happened.
176 years from now, history will still remember Palestine.
Just as we remember An Gorta Mór.
There were rumours circulating yesterday that the Green Brigade had been prohibited from attending Celtic’s next four matches.
These rumours turned out to be baseless, but there is no smoke without fire.
I don’t doubt that the board dallied with the idea of locking out the Green Brigade.
They have their corporate image to protect after all.
The soul of the club does not matter to them, the reason for it’s very existence, does not matter to them.
They leave the maintenance of that sort of sentimentality to us, the fanbase.
But when they threaten to stop us from expressing our views, views which are based on the very reasons our club was founded, they’re crossing a line.
I think they know that now.
This may be one instance where fan power will triumph over the board.
If we were to stand by and watch genocide inflicted upon the people of Palestine, without so much as a whimper of protest or solidarity, then we are selling our soul and our history.
The charitable soul of Celtic football club.
Brother Walfrid started the club to save the oppressed and the destitute in a society that shunned them wherever they went.
This is why we are so much more than just a football club.
It is why we still have our soul.
To even attempt to stop us from having an opinion on the atrocities in Palestine, is to attempt to trample the very soul of our club.
That will not and cannot happen.
What is the worst that can happen here?
We will be fined a few thousand pounds by UEFA?
With £70+million sitting in the bank?
The Green Brigade will then raise the cost of the fine and most likely, a vast sum on top of it to send to Palestine.
Just as they did in 2016.
What is so bad about that?
More and more voices world wide are joining in the condemnation of what is happening in Palestine.
If we did not have our say, it would inflict permanent damage on our club.
Simply because we’ve always had our say when it comes to injustices like this.
To stop now would be to set a precedent there would be no turning back from.
So what if UEFA fines us?
They are a hypocritical organisation, who have made it almost compulsory to speak out in support of Ukraine, yet they say to speak out in support of Palestine is political expression?
Which is forbidden in their rulebook?
This is sheer hypocrisy, and every right minded person should fly in the face of that.
Celtic will always be more than just a club, enriched by it’s history.
This, ultimately, is what sets us apart from every other club in the world.
It is why we exist.
To deny us a voice on Palestine, is to deny why we exist.
And that will never happen.
Aodhán Ó Conchobhair 
What about Hamas? As far as I am aware they are Muslim terrorists. I don’t know enough about this war to comment on who are the oppressers, are they on the side of Israel? Should nobody be condeming them?
Of course we should stand up and show support for Palestine,the way they have been treated since 1948 and before by Britain is absolutely disgraceful and for the Western world to continue to support a right wing fascist government.Considering how they were systematically tortured,removed from there homes,land and murdered by Nazi’s.Makes it even harder to understand why they are now doing the same to the Palestinians.Yes it is right and justified for Green Brigade to publicly to show there support,I’m very disappointed at the way the Board are behaving and should remember our roots and we’re we came from
This has nothing to do with Celtic. Celtic Park is not there to be used as a political forum. There are other outlets for that and if people are so concerned they should use these other outlets and political forums.
Celtic was formed to help the poor initially in Glasgow, but now further afield, and put dinner on the tables of the poor, which is a million miles away from what the misleading heading of this article suggests.
Agreed Michael.
Hi Eric
Good to hear from someone who is obviously well versed and educated on the situation of the Palestinians
When was your most recent visit to the region?
Do you know where the “Palestininan” peolple originate from?
Are you versed in their ethnic culture, language and origins?
Were you present on all these occassions when there was ethnic cleansing, genocide, mass murders?
I would suggest that you study the history of the region and its inhabitants before making unfounded, ludicrous, dangerous and futile comments that will only incite more violence and hatred
I am Jewish an Israeli and a Celtic supporter for 60 years. I support a club with values and a history of supporting the oppressed – but you firt have to know who the oppressed are. You have obviously not had the opportunity to discover that – Fortunately you and the Green Brigade are a minority and hopefully the Board will go ahead and ban them from Celtic Park
The notion that Celtic’s fanbase has ever been a happy, united family is complete fantasy, and is disproved by a reading of the histories by Campbell and Woods, Handley and Sweeney (re the early years): and David Potter has stated that the supporters were divided over the Spanish Civil War. The Green Brigade exists to further its own ends, which at root have nothing to do with Celtic, and which don’t have the backing of most supporters – it is an entryist organisation, using the club and the fans. The Green Brigade should have been banned years ago – rather than acting intolerantly, the Celtic board has been too indulgent.
Eric I’m upset it what’s happening in Gaza but the club have asked the GB to stop bringing politics into the stadium as the club keeps being fined by UEFA when these banners and flags are on show. The GB do a lot of good but as was suggested by another poster they’re only in it for themselves and to get publicity for themselves. What if UEFA order a stadium closure in a vital Champions League fixture that could be the difference between getting out of a group or being eliminated, do you think your point is valid then? The fact is the club have the power and the GB could be barred from the stadium for good, there’s people crying out for a season ticket as a seven year waiting list proves. If it comes down to it, ultimately, there can only be one winner and its not the GB.
Your article starts with the words
TO DENY THE FANS A VOICE
What Fans are you describing
Is it Football or the Political Inept G B
The Brigade surname is the give away
Only one winner in this dispute
Agree with most of the article but it’s a lazy attack on the board that “they make millions only because of Celtic”.
Criticise the board all you want but none of them make money from Celtic. Celtic have never paid a dividend on their ordinary shares so the board are not taking origins from the club which they are often accused of. The directors receive nominal directors fees and that is it. They’re not in it for the money.
As I say, criticise them all you want but this is a very laxy ill-informed narrative that has been allowed to develop.
Also – Steven Jesner – why do you assume people who have commented are not very well educated and informed on this situation? (And to a lesser extent you assume they have not visited the region which may largely be true although necessarily relevant). If you have an argument make it without making assumptions about those whose (valid) opinions differ to yours.
*not taking profits from the club (bad auto-correct!)
Simply because his dangerous comments are written without factual evidence. Anyone reading this and who has no knowledge of the region will automatically assume what Eric writes is correct. He talks of genocide. Well we know that Hitler committed genocide. He murdered 6 million of my people. That is a fact. But Eric stated that Israel is committing genocide and ethnic cleansing. Where is his factual evidence for that? I say in full knowledge of the fact that it is a complete lie.
There are over 50 countries ruled by Islam. There is one country which is Jewish. Israel is surrounded on three borders by Islam controlled countries and is threatened daily = what would you do if a rocket landed in Glasgow?
I suggest you and Eric take some history lessons. And I fully expect the board to ban GB from Celtic Park because politics have nothing to do with sport
You now suggest I take history lessons without knowing anything about my knowledge on this subject. And then you talk about Eric’s claims being without “factual evidence”.
Perhaps (and I say perhaps as I don’t know what you have or haven’t read) you should read some impartial reporting on the current situation and if you still believe Eric’s reference to genocide is unfounded you can help us all to understand why that is.
Nobody here (to my knowledge) is unsympathetic to the threat Israel faces or to the historic threats Jewish people have faced but that alone is no reason to ignore or justify the infliction of oppression on another innocent people.
Eric didn’t refer to genocide. It wasn’t an opinion but an accusation. Eric therefore has to back that up with factual evidence
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shay-thieberg_standwithisrael-israelunderattack-hamasmassacre-activity-7119571693743878144-_79l?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios
Wow. Now I understand where you’re coming from. If that twisted take on history is what you are presenting as facts I see why you’re struggling.
Steven jesner says “Israel is surrounded on three borders by Islam controlled countries and is threatened daily = what would you do if a rocket landed in Glasgow?”
Israel deserves daily rockets as long as it occupies lands belonging to neighbours; West Bank (Palestine), Golan Heights (Syria) and Shebba Farms (Lebanon). Pull back to your own country and rockets stops…simple as……
No support for the recently ethnically cleansed Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh then? No support for Palestinian Christians, now just 2 percent or the Copts of Egypt? No support for Kurdistan or Kashmir? Or Tibet or Burma or the Asians who sweat their lives away to provide your clothes and your flags so you can posture and lay claim to the suffering of our hungry ancestors? Self pity, the foundation stone of Fascism