Tennis anyone?
What is the sound of no hands clapping? The answer is, of course (like the sound of one hand clapping) silence. But while there was comparative silence inside the stadium in Malmo, Sweden, for the Israel-Sweden Davis cup tennis match, there was a lot of noise and violence outside. Around 7,000 protesters attacked the police and security at the stadium and tried very hard to break through. If they had been able to do so there is no doubt that the lives of the Israeli tennis players would have been at stake. At least 100 of the most violent were arrested. Is this the way Sweden welcomes players of a visiting team?
Before the match, various views were given about the decision not to allow the audience to attend. The reason given by the Malmo City Council was that they could not guarantee the lives of the players if the stadium were open to the audience. Few gave that answer credence, preferring to believe that the Malmo City Council were either themselves biased against Israel, or giving in to intimidation, but in the event it was probably a wise decision. A Swedish lady who lives here told me that in Malmo about 25% of the population are already Muslim as a result of liberal immigration policies, including many Gazans, because the Swedish Govt. gives them preference since they regard them as coming from a politically dangerous area. I hope they are satisfied with the problem they have caused themselves.
While the attack on the stadium in Malmo was not as deadly as the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan last week, it was of a similar nature. They are using sport as a soft target, to score points in the war of Islam against the West. Now many might conclude that the protesters in Sweden were not Islamists, but whether they were the most liberal of Swedes or not, the effect of their violent protest was the same, to single out Israel for attack. The result of these attacks is that no cricket (or any other) team can now visit Pakistan for a match and no Israeli team can play anywhere in the world without extensive security.
What has come of the sporting gesture, the world of innocence that we knew before the attack on the Israeli athletes at the Olymic Games in Munich in 1972. Only a concerted effort by the international sports organizations and the major sports countries can once again fill the stadiums and allow people to clap for a good passing shot.
By the way, Israel won the Davis cup match 3-2 and now go on to the next stage where they are drawn against Russia, last year's winners.
Before the match, various views were given about the decision not to allow the audience to attend. The reason given by the Malmo City Council was that they could not guarantee the lives of the players if the stadium were open to the audience. Few gave that answer credence, preferring to believe that the Malmo City Council were either themselves biased against Israel, or giving in to intimidation, but in the event it was probably a wise decision. A Swedish lady who lives here told me that in Malmo about 25% of the population are already Muslim as a result of liberal immigration policies, including many Gazans, because the Swedish Govt. gives them preference since they regard them as coming from a politically dangerous area. I hope they are satisfied with the problem they have caused themselves.
While the attack on the stadium in Malmo was not as deadly as the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan last week, it was of a similar nature. They are using sport as a soft target, to score points in the war of Islam against the West. Now many might conclude that the protesters in Sweden were not Islamists, but whether they were the most liberal of Swedes or not, the effect of their violent protest was the same, to single out Israel for attack. The result of these attacks is that no cricket (or any other) team can now visit Pakistan for a match and no Israeli team can play anywhere in the world without extensive security.
What has come of the sporting gesture, the world of innocence that we knew before the attack on the Israeli athletes at the Olymic Games in Munich in 1972. Only a concerted effort by the international sports organizations and the major sports countries can once again fill the stadiums and allow people to clap for a good passing shot.
By the way, Israel won the Davis cup match 3-2 and now go on to the next stage where they are drawn against Russia, last year's winners.
posted by Jack Cohen at 6:38 PM
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