Mo Salah under fire in his native Egypt for not publicly supporting the Palestinians

Critics on social media say the Liverpool and Egypt star is not worthy of the title 'Pride of the Arabs'

Many football fans in Egypt say they are disappointed that Mo Salah hasn't publicly come out in support of Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Getty

Egyptians and other Arabs have been left angered by the killing of thousands of Palestinians in Israel's bombardment of Gaza, but have been directing some of their frustration to an unlikely individual; Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah.

Salah has not publicly expressed his support for the Palestinians or offered his condolences to the families of victims of the Israeli onslaught.

"But may God not forgive you if you are just not interested," wrote Nickolas Khoury on X, formerly known as twitter, after he explained that the winger may not have spoken against Israel because of business and club considerations.

Salah, who has not publicly commented on the criticism – although he has not tweeted since September 26 – has for years enjoyed the affection and adulation of most if not all of Egypt's 105 million people who see in him a role model for the nation's youths and a football icon with star power.

His rise to global stardom from his humble background as a member of a lower middle class family in a Nile Delta village north of Cairo has inspired millions across the Middle East and the world.

Criticism of Salah in his native Egypt has been rare and has in the past mostly focused on what some see as his cautious play because of fears of injury when on international duty for the Pharaohs.

However, the scathing criticism he has been subjected to in recent days speaks equally of the deep empathy Egyptians feel for the Palestinians and their frustration that a man with so much star power like Salah may have prioritised his club and business interests ahead of everything else.

A medic carries a Palestinian child injured during Israeli air strikes into a hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

A man walks past images of Israeli hostages snatched by the Palestinian militant group Hamas last week in a surprise attack into Israel, plastered on a wall outside the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv. AFP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives at the airport en route to neighbouring Israel for crisis talks after a tour of Arab nations, in Amman. AFP

An Israeli soldier adjusts his rifle as he stands on a tank near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel. Reuters

Lorries carrying humanitarian aid destined for Gaza wait for the reopening of the Rafah border, in the city of Egyptian city of Al Arish. Reuters

Palestinians search for casualties under the rubble of a house destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Reuters

Members of a Palestinian civil emergency team react after several colleagues were killed in Israeli strikes, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Reuters

US citizens wait at the port of Haifa to be evacuated to Cyprus, amid the battle between Israel and Hamas. AFP

Paramedics from the Emergency Medical Services, the only health organisation that is operational in Sderot, Israel, pray before starting work. EPA

Israeli soldiers patrol in armoured personnel carriers at an undisclosed position in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon. AFP

People rally in support of Israel outside the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver, Colorado. AP

Children in Khan Yunis, Gaza. Getty Images

Residents of Gaza City evacuate as Israel continues bombing of the Gaza strip. EPA

Protesters participate in a rally in support of Palestinian people, on Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo, Brazil. EPA

A Palestinian house razed by Israeli strikes in the central Gaza Strip on October 15. Reuters

A man rearranges Jewish prayer books after a synagogue was hit by a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip into Ashkelon, southern Israel. Reuters

Volunteers clean up at the synagogue in Ashkelon. Reuters

Laden aid lorries wait for the opening of the Gaza-Egypt border in North Sinai, Egypt. Getty Images

Injured Palestinians arrive at Nasser Hospital in the Gaza Strip, an enclave sealed off by Israel and hit by sustained retaliatory air strikes after the surprise Hamas attack. Getty Images

Rockets are fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel by the Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. EPA

Palestinians sit by a building destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Rafah, Gaza. AP

Lorries carrying humanitarian aid to Palestine line up on the desert road from Cairo, heading for the Rafah border crossing into Gaza. Reuters

Palestinians wait at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. AP

Palestinian children wounded in Israeli air strikes are brought to Al Aqsa hospital in Deir El Balah, Gaza. AP

Palestinians charge their phones using solar power as electricity supplies remain cut off in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Reuters

Palestinians wounded in Israeli air strikes are carried into Al Aqsa hospital in Deir El Balah, Gaza. AP Photo

Palestinians queue to refill water containers at Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza. AFP

Palestinians attend to the wounded after Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. Reuters

Residents carry a few belongings as they begin to evacuate following an Israeli warning of increased military operations in the Gaza Strip. EPA

Internally displaced Palestinians take refuge at a UN school, in the Rafah refugee camp, in the south of the Gaza Strip. AFP

A wounded boy is rescued from the rubble after Israeli air strikes, in Khan Younis. Reuters

An area with destroyed buildings is deserted after residents of Gaza city began to evacuate. EPA

Palestinians in Khan Younis search for casualties under the rubble in the aftermath of Israeli air strikes. Reuters

Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip was bombed by Israeli forces in retaliation for last week's incursion by Hamas into Israel. Reuters

Khan Younis is in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than a million people in the north have been urged to travel by Israel as it carries out an anticipated ground invasion.

Palestinians search for casualties in Khan Younis. More than 1,500 people have been killed and injured by Israeli attacks on Gaza in the past week. Reuters

A rescue worker searches for casualties under the rubble of a building in Khan Younis. Reuters

A mourner grieves for a relative killed by an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AP

Palestinians evacuate a wounded youth after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AP

Palestinians flee northern Gaza as Israeli ground forces prepare to enter the Strip. AP

Palestinians have formed convoys to flee northern Gaza. AP

Traffic queues as Palestinians flee northern Gaza for the south. AP

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. AP

But it's much more serious to others.

In a region where for more than 70 years the Palestinians are held dear in the heart of almost everyone and the creation of their own nation is a dream, Salah's failure to publicly support the cause at a time of untold suffering borders on treason or betrayal.

What made it worse for Salah, who has multimillion-dollar endorsement deals with global giants like Pepsi, Adidas and Vodaphone, is that footballers in his native Egypt and elsewhere like Arsenal's Mohamed ElNenni and Riyad Mahrez of the Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli, have publicly supported the Palestinians.

"Pride of the Arabs is a title won only by positions and conduct," wrote Nahla Shahin on X, alluding to the nickname given to Salah by Arab fans and sports commentators. "Pride of the Arabs means being a role model."

"Your are the pride of cats," wrote another, mockingly alluding to Salah's frequent social media posts in support of animal rights.

Another social media user, Thamer Sawalha, delivered a harsh and humourless message to the 31-year-old winger. "History only recognises real men. You, Salah, have lost much," he wrote.

Media celebrities like popular talk show host Amr Adeeb of the Saudi-owned network MBC was notably less critical of Salah but his counsel to him was crystal clear: Do it!

"Everyone sees you as the Pride of the Arabs and to be the Pride of the Arabs you must not abandon the Arabs when they need you the most," Mr Adeeb said in a segment of the Friday episode of his widely viewed programme Al Hekayah, or The Story.

"There is still time. To arrive late is better than not to arrive at all," he told the player. "This is the time to speak up...I know you will not hesitate. Don't be afraid, we are all behind you and your talent and abilities will enable you to get through this."

To those who have harshly criticised Salah, Mr Adeeb had this to say: "Go a little easy on him."