ANT KATZ

Israel defeated South Africa in ice hockey last Thursday night by six goals to three – despite attempts by anti-Israel protesters to disrupt the match. The international match was played at the Grand West Ice Rink in Cape Town.

RIGHT: Amaarah Arendse holds a Palestinian flag at the match at Grand West Casino last Thursday

It was an important match for both sides as both Israel and SA are in contention for the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) Division II Group B World Championship.

Michael Farr, a spokesman for Sun International, said the protesters had thrown marbles on the ice and had then been evicted. They also threw down red paint.

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Protesters cried foul, with Cape Town activist and one of the protest leaders Bram Hanekom, claiming to have been assaulted by security guards whom he alleged were part of Israeli Ambassador Arthur Lenk’s security detail.

However Michael Farr denied that anyone had been assaulted.

The protesters represented the Congress of South African Students and the ANC Youth League, as well as the National Coalition for Palestine – a creation of US-based NGO Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (Israel), BDS-SA. The protesters had bought tickets and entered the arena at the beginning of the match, said Anglican priest June Major, who took part in the protest.

In a media release the following day, BDS-SA boasted how they “and others successfully protested the Israeli Ice Hockey World Cup Game”.

Dangerous to all players

Seemingly oblivious to the danger they exposed both teams to, BDS proudly announced: “Marbles were released on the ice as well as red colouring to reflect the blood of the thousands of Palestinians who suffer under Israel’s Apartheid government,” they said.

The fact that their protest actions had “resulted in an embarrassing 45 (minute) delay”, in the SA vs Israel game, was claimed as a victory by BDS-SA.

Major said Hanekom was singled out during an interval and dragged out of the venue.

“They attacked him and beat him up,” she said. “There were about 80 to 100 protesters, but most remained outside because they were doing racial profiling at the doors,” said Major.

“There was no warning, we were peaceful. Bram only had a South African flag, I had a Palestinian flag.” The following morning Hanekom told The Argus newspaper that he had bruises, but no broken ribs.

“We went to express our view that the Israeli government, the State of Israel, should not be recognised by South Africa, and that the Western Cape government who hosted the tournament should not give the Israelis this platform,” Hanekom said.

He said he was certain that the security staff had a different uniform to that of the Grand West security staff and that he had heard one say over the radio that “their man was safe”. He believed this was a reference to the Israeli ambassador, who attended the match.

The Israeli embassy denied that their security had been at the venue.