Soccer (illustration)
Soccer (illustration)iStock

On September 11th, a friendly match between the Israeli and Northern Ireland soccer teams is scheduled to take place in Belfast, Ireland.

However, it seems that Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) groups have placed the match under their crosshairs and are hoping to have it cancelled.

BDS groups in Ireland and the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) group, which works to advance the boycott in Ireland, have begun a campaign calling on Ireland to cancel the friendly match between the countries. As part of the campaign, the groups have released mock photos of Palestinian Authority Arabs with missing limbs playing soccer and suggested that their limbs were lost during “peaceful protests against Israel on the Gaza border.”

The BDS groups also noted that the previously scheduled match between Argentina and Israel was cancelled and suggested that Ireland should do the same. They further wrote slanderous and false statements against Israel, claiming among other things that, “Israel kidnaps Palestinian Children in frightening night time raids,” that “Israel is massacring Palestinians without any discrimination.”

“Israel uses international sporting events to advance its failed image, while in truth it becomes more and more isolated,” reads the website.

Attorney Nati Rom, founder of the “Lev HaOlam” organization which fights against the global boycott of Israel said, “The lies of the boycott movement spread across continents and regions. Their deep hatred of Israel leads them to attempt to harm it in any way possible.”

“The cancellation of this match would not inflict significant harm on Israel, but the lies that the BDS groups spread unfortunately resonate with some and reach foreign residents who have no understanding of the truth about what is happening in Israel.”

“I believe that with hard work spreading the truth, residents abroad will understand the real motivations of boycott organizations and how their statements are filled with hypocrisy. By spreading the truth, we will expose them for who they are.”

“Already today, one can see a significant trend where more and more Europeans understand the truth about the conflict between Israel and the Arabs. The boycott groups have no concern for Arabs in Judea and Samara, but rather only want to destroy Israel. This is a battle between light and dark.”