In an emotional scene, the Israeli national anthem was performed at a public sporting event in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday while two Israeli Cabinet ministers said they would soon head to the region in new signs of warming ties between Israel and the Gulf Arab states.
The developments came days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid an official visit to the Gulf state of Oman, the first such meeting in over 20 years.
Netanyahu has frequently boasted of warming, behind-the-scenes ties with Arab states, drawn to Israel in part out of mutual animosity toward Iran. But until recently, he has rarely provided examples.
The complete emotional video: Our national anthem "Hatikva" (The Hope) played for the first time ever in Abu Dhabi, after judoka Sagi Muki won the gold medal🥇 in the Grand Slam 🥋tournament which is held there. A great accomplishemt for Israeli sports! pic.twitter.com/29oQ8K8LjX
— Ofir Gendelman (@ofirgendelman) October 28, 2018
That changed with Friday’s dramatic announcement of his trip to Oman, where he met with Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
“These were important talks, both for the state of Israel and very important talks for Israel’s security. There will be more,” Netanyahu told his Cabinet Sunday.
As he spoke, Israeli judoka Sagi Muki was in the process of winning a gold medal at an international judo competition in Abu Dhabi. Muki stood on the victor’s pedestal as Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikva,” played, while the Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev proudly looked on.
“We made history,” Regev tweeted afterward.
First gold medal 🥇for Israel 🇮🇱at the #Judo🥋 Grand Slam tournament which is held in Abu Dhabi!
Sagi Muki just won the gold at the 81kg weight class! Congrats! pic.twitter.com/ra8gRAMUJV
— Ofir Gendelman (@ofirgendelman) October 28, 2018
It was a significant change from last year, when UAE organizers had singled Israel out with a ban on displaying its flag or playing its anthem during the tournament when one of its athletes was awarded a medal.
The International Judo Federation had temporarily suspended the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam from its schedule, but it was reinstated in September after the tournament’s UAE organizers promised equal treatment to Israeli athletes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with gold medal-winning judoka Sagi Muki: 🇮🇱🥇
"You are golden; you promised, and you did it! There are 2 great things here. There is a fantastic gold here and much hope for Israeli judo. There is much hope when we hear our national anthem. pic.twitter.com/EAGzb74V0M— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 28, 2018
You know that I was recently in the area, not far away. Sagi, you are also contributing to Israel's diplomatic effort in the Arab world.
For all these reasons, congratulations!— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 28, 2018
Israel and the Gulf Arab countries have shared concerns over Iran’s activities across the region, including its nuclear program and its involvement in civil wars in Syria and Yemen.
Oman’s unique regional position could enable it to play a bigger role mediating between Israel and archenemy Iran. The tiny Gulf state, sandwiched between Iran and Saudi Arabia, maintains good relations with the rival countries.
On Sunday, Israeli Transportation Minister Israel Katz’s office said he would travel to Oman next week for an international transportation conference. Katz, who is also Israel’s intelligence minister, is to present a plan to build a rail link between the Arab Gulf states and Israel.
The office of Communications Minister Ayoob Kara also said he would travel to Dubai for a communications conference.
The participation of Israeli athletes in sports events in the Arab world should be normal, as sports must never mix w/ politics.
Playing our national anthem "Hatikva" (The Hope) today at a Judo tournament in Abu Dhabi gives me pride&hope of having peace one day w/ our neighbors. pic.twitter.com/GXOdcmjbmu
— Ofir Gendelman (@ofirgendelman) October 28, 2018
(AP)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
6 Responses
YWN doesn’t report on, say, the World Series or the Super Bowl. Because it’s not a news story for the yeshiva world.
But, an Israeli athlete wining a gold medal at an international judo competition? THIS is news!! “The beginning of the flowering of our redemption” that Abu Dhabi played the Israeli anthem — THIS is important for the yeshiva world to know about. Along with all the Rashi and Tosefos of the various Tweets and photos as well! So, why not report the weekly Israeli soccer games (mostly played r”l on Shabbos) and their results too?
The collective secular Israeli psyche craves acceptance by the gentile world. Any prize win, any recognition of any kind (especially if it’s not something military) — is received here with groveling gratitude and thanksgiving. As if to say, “Yes, they (the nations of the world) ARE accepting / acknowledging us. Yes! We ARE succeeding in our struggle to defeat anti-Semitism! We are NOT so different from them after all!” An insane and mistaken notion that Zionism has inherited from the old maskilim from earlier years. That’s why secular Israel participates in these sort of competitions. Same for the eurovision trash “musical” competition, or Olympic games, etc.
As a frum website, we ought to be combating that seriously mistaken notion that anti-Semitism is a curable disease. While of course, we do everything possible to limit friction and (should!) try not to antagonize the nations, we need to acknowledge what all children are taught in school about Esav’s true feelings toward Ya’akov.
So, on some level, rapprochement with various Arab states could be a move toward less Yiddishe lives being endangered, and is worthy of mention. But, the secular “culture” of an Israeli athlete gaining “acceptance” among the nations of the world — should have no place among us. Spread the truth — that there will always be some enmity and hostility from Esav.
BTW, ditto for the reports about the tragic Pittsburgh shooting. And all anti-Semitic incidents.
May we be zoche to Besoros tovos!!
It was reported that Miri Regev went into a mosque. It is forbidden to do such a thing. Islam is Avoda Zara. Great Poskim after the Rambam ruled that Islam is Avoda Zara. See the Ran, Ritva, Tzitz Eliezer, Rav Halberstam.
Rav Yosef Karo was punished for going into a mosque. See מגיד מישרים על בחוקותי
ביום הנז’ כ”ח לאייר
“We passed by the entrance of the Tekke ( a Muslim house of worship connected to the Sufis, see Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufism, Sufis are the more mystical branch of Islam) with a few friends and they brought me in to tour around and at night time I saw an emission and I was very upset. After an hour or two, I had relations with my wife and I rose up and when I was still by my book the Maggid said to me “Be strong and courageous, Hashem is with you in all that you do and all that you do Hashem makes prosper and it will be successful for you but just do not break the connection and attachment between you and your Maker and also do not turn to the idols, and do not go after the Baalim as you went yesterday…
…And also you turned to the idols and went after the Baalim when you entered yesterday into their “holy places” and I have already informed you that seven clouds of glory escort you and all of them separated from you when you entered into there and they wanted to depart from you entirely if not for those of the yeshiva above that prayed for you that they not depart from you and by means of this prayer the seven clouds of glory waited for you until you left (the Tekke temple). “
Well, seems like I spoke too soon. I guess I was wrong — the World Series obviously is important news for the yeshiva world.
“……The collective secular Israeli psyche craves acceptance by the gentile world. Any prize win, any recognition of any kind (especially if it’s not something military) — is received here with groveling gratitude and thanksgiving. As if to say, “Yes, they (the nations of the world) ARE accepting / acknowledging us…..”
What’s wrong with some rapprochement even via sports if it can limit hostility, anti-Semitism and libelous propaganda from the Arab world?…… Aren’t we in golus? Don’t some of the extremist constantly scream about higarus b’umos?
If you object to the secular Zionists mentality, then here’s an idea :
How about you teach them true Torah haskafa by EXAMPLE.
By frum fighting each other , by blocking traffic, by throwing IDF out of shuls ,throwing rocks on Shabbos instead of showing the beauty of Shabbos, by calling other Jews Nazis & Hitler, by smashing chairs over heads in yeshivos, by chareidi MKs politicizing, doing their boring 15 minutes of fame hockerey every other week in Knesset , you won’t get even a squirrel to change.
How about you push for frum Aliya to outnumber the secular, instead of sitting on the schmaltz tupp & having “leaders”…( wink, wink) , to quote you…… ” crave acceptance by the gentile world” … ie supporting candidates in Chul, who are against Torah values, who change the culture of our goyishe environment for the worse but can , you know, offer $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ & programs… A Machiavellian ends justify the means dreikopp.
Put your oxygen mask on your faces first, and only then, over the next guy’s head .
How weird it is to see readers on a Jewish site treating words like “Israel” as dog-whistles that touch off instant tantrums…
QuietWaters,
precise source please
Nobody rules that Islam is avodah Zara
what they say is that some groups of practitioners mix some elements of avodah Zara in together
If I am mistaken please show how