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Summarised by Centrist
A Palestine solidarity group has condemned the inclusion of Israeli tennis player Lina Glushko in New Zealand’s ASB Tennis Classic, labelling it as tacit support for systemic oppression.
The Palestine Forum of New Zealand released a statement asserting that Glushko, a former Israeli Defence Forces soldier, represents an apartheid regime whose policies violate international law and human rights.
“Welcoming Israeli athletes to Aotearoa is not a neutral act. It normalises the systemic injustices perpetrated by the Israeli state against Palestinians,” said Maher Nazzal of the Palestine Forum.
He drew parallels to the global boycott of South African athletes during apartheid, urging the sports community to take a similar stand against Israel.
The forum criticised Israel’s ongoing actions in Gaza, citing reports of over 45,000 deaths—mostly women and children—over the past 15 months.
They argue that the International Court of Justice has ruled the occupation of Palestine illegal, calling for an immediate halt to settlements. They say that despite this, Israel has allegedly intensified attacks on civilian infrastructure, including hospitals.
The group called on New Zealand and the global sports community to boycott representatives of regimes they allege perpetuate injustice. “Sports can be a powerful force for change,” Nazzal said, urging consistency in opposing human rights violations.
