Sirsik officially rejects Barcelona invitation

Palestinian footballer Mahmoud Sirsik, who went on a hunger strike to force the Israeli authorities to release him from prison where he was held for several years without charge or trial, Monday officially rejected an invitation by the Spanish football club Barcelona to attend the Classico game. Sirsik rejected the invitation after the club sent an invitation to Israeli soldier Shalit, who was held by Hamas in Gaza for five years and released in an exchange of prisoners deal with Hamas. During a press conference held in front of the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza, Sirsik sent his apology to the fans and the Spanish football club for rejecting their invitation. He said inviting Shalit to attend the game equalizes between the Israeli Zionist executioner and the Palestinian victim, “It is not right to compare me as an athlete arrested because of my sports to the Israeli soldier Shalit who was captured while carrying a gun and his motto is to kill,” said Sirsik, a resident of the Gaza Strip, in response to the Barcelona invitation to him.