The Knesset Education, Culture and Sports Committee met today (Monday) to discuss the riot by Beitar Jerusalem fans at last week's State Cup final at Sammy Ofer Stadium.
MK Kati Shitrit mentioned in the emergency discussion the Association's failures in the State Cup final: "What we hear here is a disgrace of the Football Association, which abuses football fans in general and Beitar Jerusalem fans in particular. I presented to the committee a series of serious omissions relating to the Association's conduct over many years.
"I demand that the Israel Police be returned to the courts! The violence on the pitches is the full fault of the Association and it is clear that they are unable or unwilling to eradicate the phenomenon. Incidents of violence on the courts require police enforcement, treatment and punishment of those who break the law, by law enforcement.
Minister of Sport and Culture Miki Zohar: "The omissions presented by Kati Shitrit to the committee are omissions relating to the management of the event, and therefore it is our duty to discuss it. It should be noted that the committee presents us with behaviors accompanied by violence on the part of both groups.
Minister Miki Zohar. Trying to bring about change, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
"If you asked yourself how powders and violent behaviors got to the courts, it turns out that there are quite a few ushers who, instead of insisting on order, act as collaborators and encourage violence and smuggling flares and fireworks into the fields. As of the date of the hearing, the Israel Police has denied responsibility for the incidents.
Udi Tene, strategic advisor and campaign manager, a Beitar Jerusalem fan, said at the emergency meeting of the Education Committee: "We, fans of teams everywhere and not only fans of the teams that participated in the cup final, have been suffering for years from the lack of organization of the Football Association. The name of this organization needs to be changed from the Football Association to the dissolution of football. The FA repeatedly brings in independent expats here and all the fans of the teams suffer.
"My 8-year-old Yair can't get to the fields because his life is in danger. We miraculously emerged from the cup final after bringing crowds without tickets into the team stands and miraculously the cup final did not turn into a Meron 2 disaster."
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Attorney Aviad Lenchner, a criminal law expert representing Beitar Jerusalem fans, said at the hearing: "Filing an indictment against the team is sinful to the truth. The one in charge of the incident is the Association, and it is the one that must be held accountable. We are examining our legal action against the Association. It is inconceivable that football fans in Israel will suffer because of the association's lack of organization."
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