"Cannot stand with violence, also cannot stand with people having lands taken" - Ons Jabeur makes her loyalties clear in Israel-Palestine conflict
Ons Jabeur recently broke her silence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and made her reservations clear as the situation between the nations continues to escalate.
The Tunisian has enjoyed a bitter-sweet run this season. Despite sustaining multiple injuries during her time on the tour, Jabuer managed to clinch a handful of WTA singles titles and reach the finals of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, where her dream run was thwarted by Marketa Vondrousova.
Apart from achieving several feats, the 29-year-old also became the highest-ranked African and Arab tennis professional in the history of ATP and WTA rankings.
In a recent Instagram post, Ons Jabuer emphasized Palestine's current situation and clarified her loyalties. The three-time Grand Slam finalist briefly outlined the Israeli-Palestinian conflict's negative impact on civilians and abhorred violence of any form.
"What Palestinians have been going through during the last 75 years is indescribable," Ons Jabeur wrote. "What innocent civilians are going through is indescribable; no matter what their religion is, or what their origin is. Violence will never bring peace; I cannot stand with violence but I also cannot stand with people having their lands taken."
The World No. 7 mentioned her regard for the nation's extensive history, however, she solidified her stance on achieving everyone's common goal for peace and freeing Palestine of all hostility.
"So understanding context is important, looking at what's happening today and deciding to ignore recent history is irresponsible and won't bring peace. And peace is all we care about. Peace is what everyone needs and deserves. Stop the violence and #FreePalestine," she wrote further.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict draws its roots from a colonial act nearly a century ago. Since then, this dispute has claimed approximately tens of thousands of lives and thrown millions of people in disarray.
It is worth noting that with Israel's declaration of war on the Gaza Strip, in retaliation to an armed attack carried out by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the world has once again locked its eyes on what follows.
Ons Jabeur will lock horns with Lucia Bronzetti in 2R of the Zhengzhou Open
Ons Jabeur is scheduled to square off against World No. 63 Lucia Bronzetti in the second round of the Zhengzhou Open on Wednesday, October 11.
While the No. 4 seed received a first-round bye owing to her ranking superiority, Italy's Lucia Bronzetti fenced Hanyu Guo's challenge in the opening round, ousting the Chinese professional in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1.
Jabeur and Bronzetti previously clashed in the first round of the 2023 French Open, which resulted in the Tunisian ace gaining a 1-0 lead in their head-to-head.