Former Palestinian Member of the Knesset Sami Abu Shehadeh yesterday sent a letter to FIFA and its President, Gianni Infantino, calling on them to intervene to stop the racism and hold accountable those who chant racist and hostile slogans against Arabs in Israeli stadiums.
Last Sunday during a match between the Palestinian Sakhnin team and the Israeli Beitar Jerusalem team, Beitar fans stormed the pitch and attempted to attack the Sakhnini fans while chanting “Death to the Arabs.”
In his message to FIFA, Abu Shehadeh stressed that such racist scenes in Israeli stadiums cannot be accepted. He pointed out that Israeli fans chant racist slogans and insult prophets repeatedly without being held accountable or deterred from such racist behaviour.
Abu Shehadeh added that La Familia militia, which makes up a large segment of Beitar’s fans, is a “terrorist organisation” and many of its members have been convicted of terrorist and hostile acts against Arabs and Palestinians. They are still present in stadiums and attack Palestinians and threaten their lives, he added.
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Montather Rassoul