Hamas, Pro-Palestinian orgs side with Malaysia’s boycott of Israeli para-swimmers
The Malaysian government announced last week that it would deny Israeli para-swimmers visas for the 2019 World Para Swimmers (WPS) Championship slated to take place in Kuching in July, prompting the International Paralympic Committee to intervene.
“We are disappointed at the comments made by the Malaysian Prime Minister regarding the participation of Israeli Para swimmers at the World Championships this summer,” the IPC wrote in a press release on Friday. “We will continue to pursue every single avenue with the Local Organising Committee, Malaysian National Paralympic Committee and State Government to try and ensure that all of the world’s best swimmers can compete at this event as World Championships should be open to all eligible nations. We aim to find a solution to this issue.”
The WPS is particularly important because it serves as a qualifying event for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Similarly, a coalition of 29 non-governmental pro-Palestinian organizations, including Palestinian Cultural Organisation Malaysia, Viva Palestina Malaysia, al-Quds Foundation Malaysia, Humanitarian Care Malaysia and ASEAN Coalition for Palestine, voiced support for the Malaysian Government’s decision.
The coalition said that such action was in line with Malaysia’s long-standing policy to bar any Israeli passport holders from entering the country and that the policy should be maintained without exception.
“Boycotting and isolating Israel is the very least that can and should be done to express moral outrage. The Malaysian Government is doing the right thing in barring Israelis from this country,“ the coalition said in a statement on Thursday.
Hamas also published a statement supporting Malaysia’s blocking of Israeli athletes.
”Hamas lauds Malaysia for its stance and calls on all Arab and Islamic countries to halt normalization with the Israeli occupation that is a stab in the back of the Palestinian people. Furthermore, normalizing ties with the occupation leads to abolishing the rights of the Palestinian people to freedom and peace.” the terror group stated on Friday.
Last year, Saudi Arabia denied Israeli chess players the chance to participate in an international competition in the country, and the Israeli Taekwondo team was not allowed to fly to the world junior championship held in Tunisia.
However, Israel has seen some success in thwarting Arab countries’ attempts at preventing its athletes from participating in international tournaments.
Last year, the International Judo Federation (IJF) suspended the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam and the Tunis Grand Prix from its competition calendar, after they refused to display the Israeli flag or to play the Israeli national anthem
In October, the Israeli national anthem was played in UAE as Israeli Judoka Sagi Muki won the Gold medal, while in a previous competition held in the UAE, Israel’s national anthem and Israel’s flag were banned as Israeli Tal Flicker took the gold medal.
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They should change the venue. Change the venue to a civilised Country.
Nothing other could be expected from the half-Indian super Malay anti-Semite, Mahathir Mohammed. The Greek Olympic concept was that during the ancient games, wars between states would stop and all Greeks would compete like sportsmen. Mahathir has no concept of sportsmanship, nor has his country which preferences Malays any concept of fair play.
The pro-Palestinian NGO “moral outrage” is as twisted as their and Malaysia’s concept of sportsmanship. They are exhibiting immoral rage for the failure of their evil cause. The WPS should strip Malaysia of the privilege of hosting the games and move them to a civilised country, preferably Israel.
All Australians, and especially those who support the efforts of the Para-Olympic movement should voice their objections to this raw anti-Semitism. Unless the Israeli athletes are permitted to participate, they should lobby for the competition to be instantly removed from Malaysia.