One Direction singer latest to post controversial "#FreePalestine" tweet

British Muslim boy band singer Zayn Malik's tweet has garnered nearly 190,000 re-tweets and fierce responses from both sides of the conflict.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

JULY 29, 2014 09:26

One Direction singer Zayn Malik (photo credit: REUTERS) — One Direction singer Zayn Malik

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Boy band One Direction singer Zayn Malik was the latest celebrity to get into hot water with fans after tweeting a "#FreePalestine" hashtag to his 13 million followers on Twitter, The Independent reported Monday.

#FreePalestine.
— zaynmalik1D (@zaynmalik) July 28, 2014

His tweet garnered over 190,000 favorites, 190,000 re-tweets and hundreds of responses from fans ranging from support to disappointment to death threats.

Here are some of the tamer responses:

@TH3SH1Z7L3 @funkymo88929678 @zaynmalik Stay in Israel for 1minute and you will understand too, the other side.
— TEᕼIℓᗩ✌️ (@TehilaCohenAmin) July 28, 2014

@zaynmalik #Thankyou so much THANK YOU for saying this out loud ! thanku for being #BRAVE enough to spill it out..the #TRUTH #FreePalestine
— SAmAr Elazhary (@SamarElazhary) July 28, 2014

@SaraElhamdani @zaynmalik wtf u can't deny the existence of Israel. And I agree someone should free Palestine... From the Hamas not Israel.
— Israel❤️ (@ihavurnipple) July 28, 2014

@CristinaLJoy babe. Let me clarify. The only murderers are Hamas. If our death toll was higher than theirs would you feel differently?
— Maya Lavie (@laviemaz) July 28, 2014

Malik, who grew up Muslim, according to The Independent, had yet to remove the tweet or respond to the outpouring of emotion caused by the controversial post.

Pop superstar Rihanna posted a similar "#FreePalestine" tweet two weeks ago, but quickly deleted the post just eight minutes later, replacing it with the more neutral "Let's pray for peace and a swift end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict! Is there any hope?...."