Hate Threatens to Destroy the Beautiful Game

The tragic and horrifying scenes of violence in Amsterdam against fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv, who were there to support their team in a match against Ajax last week, were a painful reminder of darker times in history, specifically the Holocaust – the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, millions of Jews across Europe were targeted, persecuted, and killed, with other marginalized groups like Black people, and the LGBTQ community also suffering under brutal oppression. Yet, Jews bore the brunt of that unimaginable pogrom.

It is reported that the attackers were solely looking for Israelis and Jews by asking them for their passports before they could attack them. One could have never thought that things would be different from the 20th century because we now know better than we did some 80 years ago but many people are still filled with so much hatred in that they are prepared to kill or wound the next person because he or she does not look like them.

Israelis are living in fear in their own country as they are surrounded by their arch-enemies who do not hesitate to attack them whenever they get a chance. They are also targeted wherever they are around the world as we have seen in Amsterdam recently. The only place where Israelis and Jews in particular would be more safe and secure would be their national home, the State of Israel, where they have an established army to protect them from any threat. 

Today, despite the world’s advancement in building institutions, systems, and policies to combat hatred and discrimination, polarizing actions targeting Israelis and Jews still occur. Attacks like the one in Amsterdam show how far we still need to go in promoting tolerance.

South Africa’s founding father, Nelson Mandela, once declared, “Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.” Mandela’s words were born from South Africa’s painful legacy of colonialism and apartheid, under which Black South Africans endured systemic violence and discrimination. Instead of pursuing retribution, Mandela and his contemporaries opted for a path of reconciliation and healing – a legacy of tolerance that should guide us today.

Seeing football fans attacked for being associated with Israel or for being Jewish is deeply disturbing. Such cowardly and barbaric acts demand the strongest condemnation from all progressive nations and communities. These attacks reveal an alarming rise in antisemitism and racism worldwide, as Jews continue to face threats and violence simply for their identity.

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights reports that Jews in Europe experience high levels of antisemitism both online and offline. As a result, many Jewish people feel pressured to conceal their identity to ensure their safety, a distressing outcome fueled by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East that disproportionately impact Jewish communities in Europe, the United States, and beyond.

South Africa is not immune to this surge in intolerance. According to the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), there were 182 reported incidents of antisemitism in the first 11 months of 2023, including assaults outside a synagogue in Johannesburg, an attack on a Rabbi, and another incident where a Jewish individual was hit over the head at a pro-Palestine rally in Cape Town. This rising hostility undermines the country’s commitment to diversity and tolerance.

The recent case of Cricket South Africa stripping Jewish player David Teeger of his captaincy under questionable security concerns reflects a troubling trend of discrimination. Targeting individuals based on their Jewish heritage or association with Israel is an affront to sportsmanship and tolerance. Such actions are not motivated by solidarity with Palestinian struggles but by an underlying hatred that unfairly targets Jewish individuals wherever they are.

The violence in Amsterdam has little to do with Middle Eastern conflicts and everything to do with hatred toward Jewish people. The fans attending this game were civilians who came to support their team – like anyone else in the world – only to be met with hostility. Their presence was about enjoying sports, not waging a war.

The attacks were premeditated, likely orchestrated by those who sympathize with Hamas, which launched an assault against Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 Israelis, abducting over 250 people, and destroying property in an attempt to eliminate the State of Israel. Rather than using peaceful means to express their views, these attackers sent a hostile message that further escalated tensions rather than working toward resolution.

Sports can unite people across backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. When politics enters this space, it risks creating a toxic divide that shatters unity. We must resist anyone’s attempt to exploit sports for narrow political agendas. Let us champion the beautiful game and the unity it fosters, standing together against the forces that would use it to sow division and hate.