The Committee on Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs, chaired by MK Gilad Kariv (Labor), convened on Monday to discuss an urgent motion for the agenda entitled “The threat of suspending Israeli sports from the international arena – a severe strategic blow to the State of Israel”, submitted by MK Simon Davidson (Yesh Atid).
Since the outbreak of Operation Swords of Iron, antisemitism has surged across all possible arenas, including a worrying increase in antisemitic incidents targeting athletes. Israeli teams and clubs have been forced to host international games outside of Israel. Simultaneously, calls to suspend Israel from international sports organizations are growing louder, particularly in soccer, basketball, and Olympic sports.
The regulations of most major international sports bodies—including FIFA, UEFA, and the International Olympic Committee—strictly prohibit the involvement of politics in sports. These organizations have a critical role in preventing the exclusion of Israeli athletes from international competitions.
In the debate, Committee Chair MK Gilad Kariv (Labor) said “We are deeply involved in both the integration of immigrant athletes in Israel and in addressing antisemitic incidents in sports competitions around the world. International cultural and sports events serve as a bridge connecting Israel to the Diaspora. I have no doubt that any event in which Israeli athletes are boycotted constitutes harm to the State of Israel and to Diaspora Jewry. This is a central issue we will continue to address. The goal of today’s discussion is to formulate steps that will support Israeli and immigrant athletes in international competitions. The exclusion of athletes is a serious blow—not just to the athletes themselves but also symbolically and diplomatically. International sports must not be influenced by politics or give in to violence and antisemitism.
MK Davidson said, “We must be prepared for every scenario, including the possibility that Israeli athletes will have to compete in friendly countries without the Israeli flag on their uniforms.
Antisemitism is expanding worldwide, and we need to prepare, professionally, for the possible exclusion of athletes from official international competitions. There should be a dedicated professional team ready and alert to act at the first sign of an attempt to exclude Israeli athletes. The sovereign State of Israel cannot allow its athletes to compete without the national flag or anthem.”
Olympic Committee of Israel Chair Yael Arad said, “The state of Israeli sports is strong compared to other arenas, such as culture and academia, and we can be proud of that. Many professionals in international sports organizations are building relationships and following the International Olympic Committee rules, so it is not simple or easy to exclude Israeli athletes from competitions.
We operate in an organized way, and both the Israeli Olympic Committee and the various sports associations enjoy high esteem and support when needed. Israeli sports have largely succeeded in being viewed as equal among nations, in part due to the extensive collaborations we have established. Our activities, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives on the ground, yield many positive results. The Jewish communities provide a very large safety net for us, and when necessary, we draw on their professional support and global network of connections. The Israeli flag is Israel’s strongest brand, and we see ourselves as sports diplomats who bring Israel’s spirit to the international arena and raise the Israeli flag around the world.
There is no threat to Israel’s participation in the upcoming Olympics. We must always separate politics from sports.
Israeli sports must have available resources to respond when faced with exclusion threats. Alongside this, it is crucial to cultivate quiet diplomatic networks.”
Ministry of Culture and Sports Director-General Kfir Cohen said, “Under the minister’s directive, we ensure that every Israeli athlete competing in an international event abroad represents Israel with the national flag on his/her uniform. The status of Israeli sports in terms of international representation is good.
“In the last two years, the Minister of Culture and Sports has secured massive budgets for the success of Israeli sports delegations in international competitions. Israeli delegations receive security-related support based on clear criteria. We will not allow Israeli delegations to travel to international competitions without the necessary security. We want Israeli athletes to represent us and return home safely. Even when the airspace was shut down, we succeeded in sending athletes to international competitions. We will allocate budgets so that the umbrella organizations can continue to represent Israel with honor and pride,” he said.
Neria Arnold, director of the situation room for combating antisemitism at the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, said “All the information we receive in the situation room is shared with all relevant parties. Every two weeks, we issue a situation assessment report with indications of planned antisemitic attacks against Jews and Israelis.”
