The football match between Argentina and Israel planned on Sunday, 10th of June 2018, was called off.

Israeli Sports and Culture Minister Miri Regev reported players had received threats from “terror groups”. She said “Different terror groups have been sending messages and letters to players on the Argentina national team and their relatives, including clear threats to hurt them and on the lives of their families […] these included video clips showing dead children.

Jibril Rajoub, Secretary of the Fatah Central Committee, Head of the Supreme Council for Sport and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Palestinian Football Association, and Chairman of the Palestinian Olympic Committee urged fans to burn their shirts if Messi attends the game.“He has tens of millions of fans in the Arab and Muslim countries […] we ask everyone to burn his shirts which bear his name and posters [with his image].”

The aggressive and violent statements of the Palestinan Authority have certainly been factors increasing the death threats sent to the football players of the Argentinian team .

B’nai B’rith Europe President Serge Dahan regrets the cancellation of the match and strongly condemns this political pressure on Argentina which demonstrates the Palestinian project against Israël. 

President Serge Dahan deplores the manipulation of sport to express Israel hatred, instead of being a peace factor, true to Nelson Mandela’s vision “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does”.