Arab-Israeli soccer players offer symbol of coexistence
With tensions between Jews and Arabs in Israel reaching sad records, Israeli-Arab soccer players carry the (perhaps heavy) mission of demonstrating coexistence.
May 12 was a terrible day and night for Jewish-Arab relations in Israel. Close to 400 people were detained by police following intense Jewish-Arab violence and riots that erupted across the country. Jews and Arabs were attacked by extremists on both parties.
Israeli soccer, including the Israeli national team, reflects Israeli society, especially relations between Jews and Arabs. In recent years, there has been a true change in official institutions’ treatments of expressions of racism and hatred both toward Black players and between Jews and Arabs.
A recent case related to the Maccabi Tel Aviv team attests to this change. Last week, a team supporter was banned from games for the rest of his life after he was recorded on a television broadcast yelling racist slurs at Maccabi Haifa player Mohammad Awad.
This is an unprecedented punishment for Israeli soccer. In the letter to this fan, legal counselor of the Tel Aviv team Yael Margalit wrote that the club takes his behavior seriously, that it is offensive, inappropriate, illegal, and has no place at soccer games, or anywhere. “The club’s goal is to fight any sign of violence and racism in the stadiums, and your actions have caused and continue to cause the team great damage and stain it and its loyal fans,” he wrote. The letter notes that the supporter is banned forever from any activity at the club and will not be able to buy season tickets or regular tickets to team games or practices. In addition, Maccabi Tel Aviv plans to take legal action against him for the damage caused by his words.
