Meretz leader equates Lapid to racist Beitar fans

Gal-On blasts Yesh Atid chairman's refusal to form obstructing political bloc with 'Zoabis'; says racism in Israel 'shocking, but not surprising'

Roi Mandel|Published: 01.28.13 , 18:33

Meretz Party Chairwoman Zahava Gal-On compared Yesh Atid Party Chairman Yair Lapid's refusal to form an obstructing political bloc with "Zoabis" to Beitar Jerusalem football club fans' racist response to the owner's decision to sign two Chechen Muslim soccer players.

"Racism has become ordinary, so it seems natural that Yair Lapid is dismissing out-of-hand the Arab factions with the disparaging remark 'We will not form an obstructing bloc with the Hanin Zoabis'," Gal-on posted on Facebook.

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"The gap between Lapid's refusal to bring an Arab player in the political game and Beitar fans' refusal to bringing an Arab player to their team is smaller than it seems."

Gal-On said that the latest racist phenomena may be "shocking, but not surprising," and mentioned the sign held by the Jerusalem team's fans: "Beitar will be pure forever."

הכרזה שהניפו אוהדי בית"ר (צילום: חיים צח)

Beitar fans with sign: Beitar will be pure forever (Photo: Haim Zach)

The football-team's coach Eli Cohen remarked on the fans' reaction to team-owner Arkady Gaydamak's decision to bring in Muslim Chechen soccer players and said that "There is a difference between a European Muslim and a Middle-Eastern one."

Gal-On, whose party won six mandates in the elections, mentioned the flag hoisted by Yesh Atid's chairman and said that "We mustn't allow that the war in the next few years will be about equal share of the burden, there are more important wars.

"Over the next few years we must fight for true equality, for democracy and for uprooting racism from our day-to-day life."

Lapid, whose party won 19 mandates in the elections, clarified that he will not attempt to form an obstructing bloc with the Center-Left parties, including the Arab parties.