Arab-Israeli soccer team fires spokesman for pro-Hamas interview

Spokesman of popular Arab-Israeli soccer team claims that women kidnapped by Hamas “were treated with respect according to Islamic law and were not harmed.”

By World Israel News Staff

An Arab-Israeli who serves as the spokesman for the Bnei Sakhnin soccer team supported Hamas in an interview with an Arabic-language TV channel affiliated with the terror group, sparking outrage throughout Israel’s soccer world.

Said Hassanin, who is also a journalist, recently gave an interview to the Hamas-controlled Al-Aqsa TV channel, which is banned from broadcasting in Israel.

During the interview, Hassanin downplayed Hamas atrocities against Israelis, and claimed that Israeli hostages had been treated humanely by their captors.

He added that all women who were kidnapped by Hamas “were treated with respect according to Islamic law and were not harmed. This clearly demonstrates who is barbaric and who is humane, and who is acting in accordance with their religious and Islamic teachings.”

Hassanin failed to acknowledge widespread reports of sexual assault and harassment from freed female captives.

Railing against Israeli-Arabs who enlist in the IDF, Hassanin referred to them as “weak-minded people who join the ranks of the enemy army.”

He added that “the time has come for anyone [Arab] who is…considering joining the army of occupation to think a million times about where they are going and how they are selling their conscience, morality and religion on this immoral path.”

Hassanin’s remarks were met with swift pushback, as the Bnei Sakhnin soccer club announced that he had been fired.

However, the club said they had “summoned” Hassanin for clarification, and claimed that his remarks had been “taken out of context.”

Sports and Culture Minister Miki Zohar had encouraged Hassanin’s firing, saying his continued employment would be a “spit in the face” to Israeli soccer.

“Bnei Sakhnin cannot allow such things from [their club], otherwise we will not be able to heal the rifts in Israeli society. Despicable cases of this kind dramatically harm the shared life of Israelis and Arabs in the country and destroy solidarity in Israeli soccer,” he added.

The Government Press Office (GPO) announced that it had rescinded Hassanin’s press pass.