Israel bans Palestinian soccer match in Jerusalem slated to incite terror

“I will not allow an event that glorifies terrorists and violate the Israeli sovereignty to take place in Jerusalem, our capital,” Israeli Minister Gilad Erdan stated.

By World Israel News Staff

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan prevented a soccer match, sponsored and funded the Palestinian Authority (PA) and organized by Hamas, from taking place on Friday in the Arab neighborhood of Beit Safafa in Jerusalem.

The event was meant to mark Palestinian Prisoners’ Day.

“I will not allow an event that glorifies terrorists and violate the Israeli sovereignty to take place in Jerusalem, our capital,” Mr. Erdan stated.

Under the minister’s orders, police locked the doors of the stadium and other sports fields in the area on Friday. According to the police order, the tournament was canceled as per an Oslo Accord bylaw that considers all PA activities within Israel illegal, i24News reports.

During a game in October 2016, a Jerusalem-based Palestinian soccer team honored a terrorist who murdered two Israelis this week in cold blood. The Hilal Al-Quds Palestinian soccer team stood for a moment of silence in honor of terrorist Musbah Abu Sbeih, who shot and killed two Israelis and wounded six others in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem earlier that week.

Players also took a selfie while holding signs with the terrorist’s photo, including a caption praising him for killing a 29-year-old police officer.

Minister Erdan has been taking steps to crack down on security prisoners, adopting moves to restrict their ability to establish social settings, live with any sign of luxury or, most important, maintain terror ties. While pledging to abide by international law, he stressed that security prisoners deserve nothing better than what is required.