It takes so much courage to ignore all the problems in your country, the oppression of he Basques, the terrible economy...and point the finger at Israel for an issue these two athletes have no idea about. Really brave.

You're surprised how Israelis and their supports don't want to accept criticism from a nation that was created from occupation, deportation and slaughter of minorities. A country, that still oppresses, discriminates and arrests the Basque people. How do you say hypocrites in Spanish?

... if they held a freedom flotilla featuring athletes, and no athletes showed up? (As if their team owners would allow them to do it! Or their managers; or their publicists; or their insurers.)

IGNORE THESE PEOPLE WHO HATES YOU AND THE LAND OF THE JEWS ISRAEL. ISRAEL FOR JEWS FOREVER BLESS ISRAEL AMEN

where are you.You gave up the fight and you agreed Israel belong to the JEWS. At least you came to your sence/

everybody is a racist, except israelis show it and some europeans are too anxious in showing it because of their colonial past. racism is basically fear of the other, humanity seems not to be so enlightened yet. what if jews would start a project to support bolivians and native minorities in argentina/ canada, us, laying open such history of racism and discriminations. EVERYBODY in the west would point fingers on jews. this conflict is ways more delicate than israel-haters think. on both sides you find tons of people who lost family members and friends. and on both sides you will find lots of people who support every step towards peace and lifting the siege. but the west wants this conflict to last, cause once the focus has gone from the middle east, some worldwide difficult problems caused through european history could reveal itself. so let us talk open, we are all human beeings. christians, muslims and jews...

It's laughable. After reading the article, I don't believe a single word of it. First, the source is a muslim media seeking for publicity for the cause, and no western media reproduces it. You know, Casillas and Nadal are among the most famous Spanish sportsmen, every word they say gets published. You think that if they said that, it wouldn't have a reflection on TV, on the newspapers? Every journalist would be chasing them looking for answers!!!! Second, it's not like them at all. They are measured, never make political statements. Other sportsmen are quite stupid but Casillas is measured, never does anything strange or polemic. Third, do you think the Spanish players would delay or cancel their celebrations because of what's happening in Gaza? Of course not! Most of them wouldn't even know what's happening, I'm sure. And the final reason why I think it's a lie, is that they said he refused to take part in the celebrations in Madrid's Central Square. That's a lie. Fist, the celebrations were not carried on in the Central Square!!!! That alone shows that the news is a complete invention. And of course Casillas took part, and there was no word about Gaza.

if we want to look towards a global community in the future, where everybody is free to travel everywhere, in the middle east we will have to start educating our children in a better way. may saphardic and racist ashkenasim here start to become familiar with the idea of a palestinian state. i mean your saphardic grandparents lived in peace within arab countries, so what is wrong with palis?. and do we, after the holocaust and all the damage caused in the third reich blame europe to be racist? (except these idiotic ashkenasim who are not interested in anything like a common world...) and yes, marwan, arab countries need to lift their level of education of their children. it is very easy to say you want israel to be wiped out and sympathise with hitler when you have NEVER EVER been to israel, never seen the good side of jews, never ever reflected any part of our histore. you keep ignoring us and this is a big threat. if you want to bring the whole world against us, go on. allah is nothing but an excuse of power abuse. and extremists are your heroes. i wonder where are your good values.. free palestine and israel. shalom salam

I'm from Spain and I can tell you this reports are completely FALSE. Neither Casillas nor Nadal have made this statements. It's a complete lie. You can check youselves: watch some youtube videos of the Spanish World Cup celebrations in Madrid (that didn't take place in the central square, by the way) and you will see Casillas celebrating and having a good time. No Spanish player has ever made a statement like this about the Gaza strip. And, of course, Rafa Nadal hasn't said anything about it, he's the most polite and clever person you can find in sports, and he'll never do it.

The Jews who were ordered to leave their homes in Arab and Moslem countries, they had to leave with little more than the clothes on their backs. All their property, bank accounts and businesses were confiscated. Israel absorbed these penniless refugees, and gave them lives and a future. You will forgive me, I trust, when -- in light of the facts -- I do not feel that Israel owes the Palestinians a single thing. Any issues that Palestinians may have should be addressed to their Arab brethren, who have steadfastly refused to absorb them and have for the most part forced them to continue their bleak existences in squalid refugee camps. Of course the Palestinians have not endeared themselves to Israel -- three refusals to accept a two-state solution; sixty plus years of terror and the constant whining and complaining and refusal to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Forgive me if I am just not that sympathetic to the Palestinian plight -- they brought it upon themselves; they have only themselves to blame. Frankly, I'm not all that interested in a global community, either. I don't think very many people are.

Do you even know why the blockade?? Its very easy to say 'war criminal' every 5 minutes.. The siege in gaza, which only doesnt allow rockets to enter gaza, is because they fire these rockets into israel. Isn't that a war crime? (to shoot deliberatly on civilians?) there's a very simple solution to this siege. If the Gaza ppl stop shooting these rockets - the siege can be over tommorow. ppl who support lifting siege but dont support stopping these rockets are hypocrites and/or complete idiots. and thats the bitter truth

"The Jews who were ordered to leave their homes in Arab and Moslem countries, they had to leave with little more than the clothes on their backs" i am very familar with the jewish history, i come from an academic and liberal german jewish background. but i believe in a world that lives in peace, it just needs work on all the sides. i am very aware of the thousand of jewish victims caused by terrorism. i believe that if we do not manage a solution in peace with intellectual and severe leaders on both sides, israel is probable to face another holocaust. and i do believe, on both sides, we can find young people who are open for a new direction. but if people on earth keep ignoring the equality of each human being and the future of our offspring, we will be more likely to end in a third world war. maybe it is the only way for people to wake up. if you are living in europe as a jew those days you will feel a new wind of anti-semitism blowing. therefore our only chance is to move towards peace commitments, INTERNATIONALLY OBSERVED, no more rockets, suicide bombs, no more operations in gaza, demolishing of arab homes. i send a silent prayer. shma israel! and i wish people will stop thinking in religions that were created thousands of years ago. open up, truth hurts...

Gasp! Oh my goodness! Arabs lying? Gracious! Who'd have thunk? No news here. We're used to it. But thank you for posting the clarification. It is truly appreciated.

Sweet. I love the idea of peace, but I also know that in dealing with Arabs, you cannot trust them as far as you can throw them. Frankly, I'm still waiting for ONE of the thirty-odd Palestinian organizations (each of which purport to be the sole true representative of the Palestinian people) to renounce their charter (which calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and the extermination and/or expulsion of the Jewish people). I'm still waiting for ONE of said organizations to publicly proclaim their acknowledgment of the absolute right of the Jewish people to exist in their ancient homeland. Been waiting a long time. Unless and until -- sorry. I don't believe pious proclamations by any number of Palestinians that they only want to live in "beace." They don't. They want nothing of the sort. They have proven it daily for well over sixty years. Like I said -- repudiate those vile charters; acknowledge the right of the State of Israel to exist in its ancient homeland, and you'll make a believer out of me. Unless and until -- hell, no. Momma didn't raise a fool. I trust the Palestinians about as far as I can throw them. That said, if they keep up their nasty rhetoric and their constant violence .... we'll get rid of them. Frankly, all that whining and moaning has gotten on my last nerve. Gotten on the last nerve of most of the world. They're running out of time, and show no desire for accommodation. Of course, being a nuclear and highly sophisticated power .... Israel can dispose of the Palestinian problem any old time. Frankly -- it's time.

illegal occupier of Israeli land that the limies gave to your kings great grandfather after he was kicked out of saudi arabia. It is Israel that saved your late king's life and prevented an attack by syria on jordan. Next time you drink a glass of Israeli water that rabin gave to your late king, try to think about what Israel has done for jordan.

Read this,... http://www.bintjbeil.com/E/occupation/ameu_iraqjews.html

No one cares if your dear friend Totti won't join the flotilla. No one cares what you think of Spain and the Spanish team. Why? Because Italy showed it has zero class when it comes to football (since 1998), and no one would really care about a flotilla if Totti was on it. Oh yea, and remember the Italian players got knocked out in the group stages. Stop being so bitter!

Just shows Nadals gota good head on his shoulders, he knows Justice! I rate Spain for this, specially Casillas n Nadal :) Peace Free Free... Palestine!

This is pure bullsh*t. It is total PR bull and you are all falling for it. Anyone who believes this needs putting in an insane asylum. Casillas didn't say a single word about Gaza, stupid stupid people.

Oh Marwan,you are such a pathetic little boy. Israel will live forever,and there is nothing you can do about it. "Palestine" is a fake nation with a fake culture and a fake history.

its unbelievable how ignorant and stupid some people are when they call palestinians terrorists and think israel is passing the goods and medicines to Gaza ! people in Gaza are starving,they have no job,barely enough food to survive and no enough medicines for sick people ! stop being stupid ! the media and news in some parts of the world dont show the complete truth or facts Israelis shot innocent people who were in the last flotilla who were only trying to help the poor and innocent civilians who need food and medicines,do you have an explaination for that ? Israelis used forbidden weapons against innocent civilians in Gaza... that killed thousands of children ! how do you explain that too ? Israel is the number one terrorisom in the world... And there is no such thing called Israel anyway ! That land belonges to palestinian even if you tried to erase the name "Palestine" on the maps everywhere,you WONT EVER change history .. And whether this news is true or not i still love those 2 athletes...

While UAE's media spew their Nazi like anti Jewish Bull, they are asking Israel to protect them from Iran. I've never heard of people under siege having an excess of food as confirmed by an Egyptian newspaper. The new Gaza mall looks great. Most people in the world don't have access to such a nice indoor mall. The delusion there is a "siege" of Gaza is hilarious.

Apparently you are