Threats and intimidation from anti-Israel activists lead Belgian local council to exclude Israeli teen athletes
A municipal council in Ghent, Belgium, has made the final decision to prohibit Israel’s participation in the ultimate frisbee competition following threats and intimidation from anti-Israel activists.
The De Pinte Municipal Council in Ghent pointed to the 58 anti-Israel protests, occupations, and vandalism that had troubled the area in recent months, along with demands that Israel must be boycotted.
“The presence and participation of the Israeli delegation in this tournament pose a threat to public order and the safety of involved participants,” stated De Pinte Mayor Vincent Van Peteghem.
“Due to these safety concerns, it is absolutely necessary for the organizer to exclude the Israeli delegation from the tournament.”
The 2024 Under-17 European Youth Ultimate Championships is currently being held between Aug. 6-10, however, prior to the event, organizers received a threatening letter from anti-Israel organizations Palestina Solidariteit and Intal Globalize Solidarity België demanding that the Israeli players be banned.
Last Tuesday, the Israeli teenager' male and and female frisbee teams received a message from Ghent Mayor Mathias De Clercq issuing the final decision to exclude Israel and threatening to cancel the tournament if they participated.
Belgium has seen a sharp rise in antisemitism in line with the rest of Europe, with reports suggesting that in some countries, like Belgium, up to 70% of Jews fear for their safety.
A prominent Flemish novelist and columnist recently wrote, "I am so angry that I want to push a sharp knife in the throat of every Jew I come across," in a deeply antisemitic op-ed published in Belgium’s HUMO magazine.
According to the mayor's office, anti-Israel activists have painted hate speech on the walls of the Moerkensheide sports park, one of the proposed tournament sites, with slogans such as, "Boycott Israhell now!"
Israel's ambassador to Belgium, Idit Abu Rosenzweig, emphasized that such rhetoric crosses a dangerous line, particularly in a country where Jews already report feeling unsafe.
Both Rosenzweig and the Israeli Foreign Affairs and Culture and Sports Ministries have sought to advocate for the Israeli athletic teams. A compromise was initially reached with the organizers, suggesting that Israeli games be held at a different venue less vulnerable to security issues. This was accepted on the condition that Israeli teams would be excluded from the opening ceremony and all social events related to the tournament. However, the final decision was made to ban Israel from the event entirely.
A statement from the Israeli Flying Disc Association (IFDA), the European Ultimate Federation (EUF), the European Flying Disc Federation (EFDF), and the De Pinte Municipality confirmed that the Israeli team of teenage frisbee players would not be able to participate or attend, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Frustrated by the situation, the IFDA stated, "It doesn't make sense that 15-year-old players can't play the sport that they love so much because of cheap politics and antisemitism."
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Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
