“With friends, we had gone to Michigan the day before. We arrived at 11 p.m., after a three-hour drive. At that time, there was only one store open. We bought all the Palestinian flags we could. The larger ones were put on the hoods of the cars, the smaller ones on the rearview mirrors. We got home at four in the morning. » If Laith Banekhalid remembers this evening of October 20 so well, it is because the next day, he will take part in a demonstration in support of Palestine – and because the Internet will confuse him with the British actor Jason Statham.
On October 21, this 32-year-old American was filmed without his knowledge in a car wash in the city of Columbus, Ohio. He is decorating a car whose hood is covered with a Palestinian flag. The images go viral on TikTok, viewed millions of times in just a few days.
“My friends call me Jason Statham now”
Internet users quickly claimed that the man who decorated this imposing SUV was the actor Jason Statham, renowned for his roles in action films.
Is this the slightly balding head of Laith Banekhalid? His sportswear outfit, which may recall the style of the actor, known for his roles in The carrier Or Fast & Furious ? Or the relatively poor quality of the video, which prevents us from distinguishing the man’s features? Whatever the reason, the Internet is going crazy and many Internet users around the world are now convinced that Jason Statham supported the Palestinian people.
Laith Banekhalid is not offended by the confusion: “My friends call me Jason Statham now,” he jokes to 20 minutes, after we managed to find him based on this video. “I like this actor, I’ve seen all his films.”
“No one is going to bring back the lives of these Palestinian children”
What is really close to this father’s heart is to raise awareness about the fate of Palestinian children: “All these images that we see make me sad, they upset me. It’s sad to see that all the presidents of all the countries are doing nothing to stop this. I ask them to stop what is happening to preserve the lives of children and civilians. We are losing children there, no one is going to bring these lives back. »
On October 21, Laith Banekhalid was on his way to a demonstration in downtown Columbus in support of Gaza, when he was filmed at the car wash. “Most of my friends come from Palestine,” he confides. I’m from Jordan, it’s like we have the same blood. »
In the evening, notifications pile up on his phone: “Everyone had seen the video and was sending me messages. I was surprised, I didn’t know what was happening. » Manager of a gas station, he says he stays away from social networks. ” I’m a businessman. Instagram, TikTok, that’s not really my thing. »
If he can, Laith Banekhalid will soon attend another demonstration in support of Palestine. With its flags, surely, but without Jason Statham, who has not spoken publicly about the conflict.