April 1, 2012
Palestinian soccer player injured in Israeli post-game brawl
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A Palestinian member of an Israeli soccer team was knocked out during a brawl at the end of a 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 Petach Tikvah team’s management, at the end of Saturday night’s game.
The blow reportedly knocked out Khatib; 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 two 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; six were banned from future games.
