Man United coach supports Pogba and Diallo after they hold Palestine flag

The move by the Man United midfielders comes on the back of Leicester players Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana who showed support for Palestine after Saturday's 1-0 win against Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

Manchester United's Paul Pogba applauds fans while holding a Palestinian flag with Amad Diallo during a lap of appreciation after the match at Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain, May 18, 2021.
Reuters

Manchester United's Paul Pogba applauds fans while holding a Palestinian flag with Amad Diallo during a lap of appreciation after the match at Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain, May 18, 2021.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said the views of players must be respected after Paul Pogba and Amad Diallo held up a Palestine flag following Tuesday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Fulham.

French World Cup winner Pogba and Ivorian winger Diallo, both Muslim, displayed the flag in support of Palestine, with around 10,000 fans watching on after lifting of coronavirus restrictions.

The death toll in Gaza has skyrocketed past 200, including 63 children, since the start of Israeli air strikes late last Monday.

At least 1,530 have been wounded as Israel's relentless bombardment continues on the 10th day.

READ MORE: No ceasefire in sight as Israel continues to bomb Gaza for a 10th day

'Views must be respected'

Solskjaer said, "I think we need to have players from different backgrounds, different cultures, different countries, and I think we need to respect their views if they differ from someone else's," Solskjaer told reporters.

"If my players think about other things than football that's a positive thing and I think we've seen that with some of the players before that they do care about.

Say Marcus Rashford, for example, the difference he's made. We respect their right to have a different view."

Dutch side PSV Eindhoven's Israeli forward Eran Zahavi responded to Pogba and Diallo by posting an edited picture of the pair on Instagram, replacing the Palestine flag they were carrying with an Israel one.

"Thanks guys," Zahavi wrote in a caption that included an Israel flag. "We appreciate your support all over the world."

READ MORE: How Gaza was shackled and reduced to ‘Gaza Strip

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Support for Palestine 

Thousands of protesters marched in support of Palestine on Saturday in major European cities, including London, Berlin, Madrid and Paris, as the worst violence in years raged with Israel bombarding Gaza. 

Leicester players Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana showed support for the Palestinians after Saturday's 1-0 win against Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

English midfielder Choudhury and French defender Fofana were seen holding a Palestinian flag on the pitch at Wembley.

A social media post from Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny showing his support for the Palestinian people has been hit by a backlash from Jewish fans.

The Egyptian posted on his Twitter account: "My heart and my soul and my support for you Palestine."

Arsenal confirmed to Sky Sports that they have spoken with Elneny after concerns about the post were raised from one of the club's sponsors, coffee maker Lavazza.

READ MORE: US 'blocks' third draft UN statement on Israeli aggression in Palestine

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