English, Israeli players give red card to racism

Members of Israel’s and England’s national soccer teams on Monday passed the ball around with children of all ages and sectors of Israeli society, at an event promoting tolerance and condemning racism — both on and off the pitch.

At the training grounds in Netanya, girls from a program promoting women’s soccer and empowerment in Ra’anana took the pitch alongside boys from Bnei Sakhnin’s youth department; Jewish and Arab players from neighborhood leagues played with members of Tel Sheva’s local Bedouin team; and players from both national teams ran with the kids on the field.

The event is about living in a “shared society, mutual respect, and football without racism,” veteran commentator and MC of the event Avi Meller told the crowd, as he opened the get-together, which took place two days before the sides were set to face off in UEFA’s Under-21 Championship tournament.

“I’m here for the children,” Miriam Abu-Ghanem told The Times of Israel. The first-ever female sports teacher in the Bedouin community and former goalkeeper was recently named manager of Tel Sheva’s community center gym. As far as she’s concerned, such an event is important — but it’s not the goal.

“Giving [the children] an opportunity to meet the players they do — or don’t — see on TV is amazing,” Abu-Ghanem said. The event was about letting the kids take the stage, she explained, “but there is still a long way to go.” As far as she’s concerned, soccer “isn’t only on the grass. It can bring people together, open doors for underprivileged people.”

Israel’s squad for the UEFA U-21 Championship has six Arab Israeli players, and Abu-Ghanem says she envisions at least one Bedouin joining them in the coming years.

There are “lots of talented children in the Bedouin community. I want them to be players at the highest levels.”

Israeli international player Omri Altman — who plays for Fulham in the English league during the year — said he had been warned ahead of his move to England that he’d encounter racism on the pitch, but so far has yet to deal with such incidents.

“There are children from all religions, both sexes, playing together and having a good time. All they care about is soccer,” Altman said. “I’m an optimist,” he stated. “I hope in the future we’ll see the results” of such projects.

Organized by the Israel Football Association, the day marked 10 years since the “Kick It Out” project kicked off, modeled on a similar program run by the England Football Association.

Rachel Liel, executive director of the New Israel Fund, which sponsors the projects throughout the country, said soccer can be used as a tool to bring together people from various backgrounds. “Promoting tolerance toward minorities, migrants” and others was the idea behind the project, she said.

Outgoing English FA Chairman David Bernstein told the players and children who were gathered that “what we’re seeing today is for the long term,” as people around the world continue to combat racist notions and behavior. “Tolerance and shared positive values are so important,” he stated. These values, he added, “can be taught through football.”

Soccer isn’t “only about points and goals, but also victories and wins off the field,” IFA Chairman Avi Luzon said. “This event is about social values, spreading the idea of football for everyone.”