I have been a fan of the Israeli national football team since the early 1960s. As a child, I went to the National Stadium in Ramat Gan to watch the team play against Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and especially to enjoy up close the performance of one of my childhood heroes at the time: Avraham Menchel. Since then, I have supported the team, encouraged it, followed its footballers for generations and later even covered the team, broadcast it, rejoiced in its joy and felt sad in its failures.
My greatest satisfaction lies during these years, in the fact that the team was composed of Jewish players alongside Arabs. Quite a few crises have accompanied the relations between Arabs and Jews in the country, but this common fabric has always been a bright spot in the darkness that prevailed during these years in relations between the two populations within the State of Israel.
In the eyes of Israeli society, Arabs in Israeli national teams have become icons: Turk, Armeli, Badir, Grave, Kiel, Natcho and others, and in the latest attack, Mons Dabour, who excelled in Israel and even stars on the European continent. So it’s true that Dabour wrote a post during the bloody events last May. Dabour, like me and you is first and foremost a person with feelings, passions and belonging. The Jews were furious at the post and relations deteriorated.
But Dabour went on his own, conquering, excelling and gnashing a tooth. These complex relationships have reached their peak recently, with every touch and every goal of the striker accompanied by tremendous contempt. Many of my people are demanding from Dabour that he no longer serve a team whose consumer audience treats him with appalling racism. Dabour, is in an understandable mental turmoil. After all, an Arab actor in Israel has been examined with seven eyes: yes, the anthem, not the anthem. Yes Muslim captain, no Muslim captain. Ignoring the complexity of the Arab actor. He is being judged harshly, okay, but why is he being treated with ardent hatred and demonstrable racism?
Those who whistle contempt are people who are inferior in value. They are infected with racism. They mix politics in sports and turn the noble cooperation that prevails in the team into an explosive field. A normative Arab would not want to serve a team whose crowd whistles contempt for the star before making a penalty kick from 11 yards out!
I’m afraid I’m starting to develop, I, personally, symptoms of exclusion from the Israeli team, because how can I admire her more when this scene, so incomprehensible, continues ?! Dabour, an actor of supreme grace, a man of values and a believer and with values, deserves a different attitude – embracing and appreciating, containing and admiring. Dabour’s excellence will attract other excellent players to the team and I mean the Arabs. Every Arab footballer dreams of playing for the Israeli national team, despite the dissonances and paradoxes. So instead of appreciating this and when they see with their own eyes Dabour’s suffering, they themselves will cut off the dream. You, gentlemen, are chopping down your dreams for integration and creating a common life in the most observed field.
In a normal and normative state such hostile audiences would be vomited if only to preserve the value interest of living together. I am afraid that following the Dabour precedent, not only will Arab players not want to serve on the Israeli national team, those who also currently serve on the Israeli national team will not be excited to continue. And I, a very responsive person in Israeli society, hereby announce that if this attitude continues I will return my membership book to the Israeli team forever. It is impossible to continue harassing an actor just because he is an Arab, just because of his ethnic affiliation, just in the name of his other nationality. The Israeli team has always been a tolerant team that produces cooperation between Arabs and Jews.
And finally, love you Dabour, continue to be an outstanding fighter. You have an embracing environment within the team. From the audience, continue to ignore. And I mean the venomous, hostile and racist crowd. Any goal you score will be a most appropriate answer in the face of the voices of hatred and disgust. Do not give up and do not despair! Respond to them with your tolerant language and unique talent. This is the only way to fight racists and racism.
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