Palestinian Star Knocked Out in Israel Soccer Brawl
A Palestinian member of an Israeli soccer team was knocked out during a brawl at the end of the game.
Ali Khatib of Hapoel Haifa, who also plays for the Palestinian national team, was hit in the face and kicked while he was on the ground, allegedly by members of the Maccabi Petah Tikvah team’s management at the end of Saturday night’s game.
The blow reportedly knocked Khatib out; he was treated at a nearby hospital and released. He also reportedly lost several teeth in the altercation.
Footage from a local television crew showed that the attackers reportedly were Maccabi’s goalie coach and another team official. The men remained in police custody following the incident.
The attack comes two weeks after hundreds of fans from the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team chanting anti-Arab slogans assaulted Arab workers at a Jerusalem shopping mall following a local game. Sixteen fans were arrested and six banned from future games in the incident.
