Israel Defends Travel Restrictions on Palestinian Soccer Players on Security Grounds

(AP) After the Palestine Football Association urged FIFA to suspend Israel, Israel's Sports Minister Limor Livnat wrote to FIFA President Sepp Blatter to defend her country's travel restrictions on some Palestinian players on security grounds. Livnat said Israel detained a Palestinian national team player, Sameh Maraabeh, in April on suspicion he met with a Hamas "military activist" during the team's training in Qatar, where he received funds, a mobile phone and a written message. "I am confident you will find this information worrisome and constituting clear evidence of the misuse of sports in a fashion that threatens the security of Israeli civilians," Livnat wrote.


2014-06-11 00:00:00

Full Article

BACK

Visit the Daily Alert Archive