NFL Player Ditches Trip to Israel Citing Support for Palestine

Seattle Seahawks star defensive end Michael Bennett has withdrawn from a scheduled trip to Israel, blaming the Jewish nation for trying to "use" him "in such a manner."

On Saturday, Bennett posted a letter he wrote regarding his support for Palestine and famed boxer Muhammad Ali.

"I will not be used in such a manner," he said.  "I cannot do that by going on this kind of trip to Israel," he said.

He said that going in the trip would prevent him from being a “voice for the voiceless” Palestinian people.

His brother and tight end for the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots will not be participating in the team trip to the White House this year. “When you have a chance to change the world, you change the world,” Martellus Bennett said. “It’s not like, ‘Here’s my chance to change the world, I’m going to pass that up.’ If I have a chance to change the world, I’m going to do everything I can to change the world.”