German football club Mainz said Monday it had reprimanded Anwar El Ghazi for comments made on the Israel-Hamas war but opened the way for the winger’s return to first-team football.

El Ghazi was suspended on October 17 for taking a “position on the conflict in the Middle East in a manner that wasn’t tolerable for the club”, Mainz said in a statement.

The Dutch international had shared several posts on social media following the beginning of the conflict earlier this month, including the phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.

The slogan is seen by some as a call for the destruction of Israel, while others say it appeals for equality for Palestinians and Israelis.

In talks with Mainz’s management, the winger had “distanced himself from his post on his Instagram account, which he deleted minutes later”, Mainz said.

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