Sonny Bill Williams says chaos unfolding in Middle East is a ‘genocide’ against Palestine

Former rugby league and union superstar Sonny Bill Williams, who converted to Islam in 2009, has labelled the chaos unfolding in the Middle East a ‘genocide’ against Palestine.

Former rugby league and union superstar Sonny Bill Williams has labelled the chaos unfolding in the Middle East as a “genocide” against Palestine.

The 38-year-old, who now plays his hand working as a pundit at the rugby World Cup with Stan Sports, shared a clip of a UK Channel 4 News interview with an Israeli war veteran, Ezra Yachin.

In the interview, Yachin accuses Hamas soldiers of using Palestinians as human shields.

“We don’t want to kill every Palestinian, we want our enemy not to exist, not to be alive. Because they don’t have the right to live,” the 95-year-old said.

Former rugby league and union superstar Sonny Bill Williams labelled the chaos unfolding in the Middle East as a “genocide”. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

“But if they take, as shields, their women and children, we shouldn’t be responsible for their life, for the shields.”

Footage later shown in the interview displays the reservist ordering Israeli soldiers to kill Palestinians.

The former rugby league and union star took aim at an Israeli war veteran. Picture: Sonny Bill Williams/Instagram

“Be triumphant and finish them off, and don’t leave anyone behind. Erase the memory of them,” he said.

“Erase them, their families, mothers and children.

“These animals can no longer live.”

Williams took aim at the war veteran, calling him a “coward”.

“The propaganda machine that a lot of these cowards have hid behind is slowly starting to crumble,” he said in his Instagram post.

“It’s our duty as humans to continue to up skill ourselves in the plight of the Palestinians.

“To see a coward who actually killed innocent people, give a talk of encouragement to do the same is sad.

“But, when you know that the majority of these people he’s speaking to will fight behind the safety of closed doors by simply pushing buttons that do the killings of innocents, disgusts me.”

The former Sydney Rooster and New Zealand All Black urged his followers to not let “the propaganda fool you.”

“All atrocities throughout history have dehumanised the oppressed so the oppression seems valid,” he continued on his Instagram post.

“Don’t let the propaganda fool you.

“This is not a war this is a genocide.”

Sonny Bill Williams with his wife Alana. Picture: Instagram

Hundreds of users, including Aussie UFC star Jake Matthews, jumped on the post to speak out against Israel.

“Pure evil, Free Palestine,” the UFC welterweight said.

“One foot in the grave and still barbaric and savage as ever,” Fatimah Jabbar commented.

“If it was a Muslim saying the same he would be called a terrorist,” Imran Maimoona said.

Despite the majority of commenters supporting the former rugby superstar, some spoke against the actions of Hamas.

“He’s clearly talking about wiping Hamas off the face of the earth. If you truly want the Palestinian people free, they need to be free of Hamas,” Ryan Miller said.

“You surely can’t agree with what Hamas did to the Israelis two weeks ago?” user reebear31 said.

In 2009 Williams converted to Islam and has been a devout follower since.

He has been vocal in supporting Palestine throughout the past two weeks.

Just two days ago he posted a video on Instagram accusing mainstream media of spreading propaganda supporting Israel with the onscreen caption, “What we’re seeing in Palestine right now is not a war, it’s genocide. Free Palestine.”

Shortly after the initial attacks from Hamas, he liked and shared a post that said the Hamas militants should be called freedom fighters instead of terrorists.