"As a Jew born in London and living here my entire life, I need to take special precautions. This is the first time I feel this way. For example, there are pro-Palestinian marches in central London almost every Saturday, an area we must stay away from. There are no similar protests against the mass killings in Sudan and Nigeria. This doesn't have much connection to football. The decision was made minutes after the match was set, based on what happened to Maccabi fans in Amsterdam and Derby. This is a connection between sports and politics, as happened in the past in South Africa, and it's terrible in my eyes.

"There might be. They take words and compare them to Jews: 'genocide,' 'starvation,' everything the Jewish people suffered from in Europe. They see world Zionism as 'dirty,' and they have no idea. When I ask people what the phrase 'from the river to the sea' means, they don't know which sea we're talking about or which river exists in Palestine. The term 'free Palestine' is modern antisemitism."

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Massive panic erupted at the location, and according to witness accounts, "There was tremendous fear; they had a murderous look." Only after extended minutes of tension and terror, the bus succeeded in continuing its journey to Budapest, from where Haifa's supporters were scheduled to depart Friday morning back to Israel.

Video: Israeli Maccabi Haifa fans attacked in Budapest. Credit: Usage under Israel's Intellectual Property Law Article 27(a)

Maccabi Haifa's management received updates about the severe incident and are currently deliberating their next steps. One passenger who was aboard the transport explained, "This represents an antisemitic incident by any measure. Both during the initial match in Poland and the return game in Hungary they conducted themselves in this manner and chanted against Jews. Regrettably, across all of Europe this remains the situation. Only through divine intervention did no one suffer severe consequences from this attack."

According to this same supporter, no police officers were present to safeguard Haifa fans, because the incident unfolded outside the stadium perimeter in Debrecen – where security measures and crowd separation were indeed implemented.

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Mizrachi, a Florida native and son of an Israeli father, proudly displayed a tattoo of the Israeli flag on his arm. In a recent major tournament victory, he notably requested that Israel's national anthem be played instead of the US anthem. This time, he competed wearing a tag around his neck symbolizing solidarity with Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

US media hailed Mizrachi, a member of the Poker Hall of Fame, as "the man who conquered the mountaintop," placing him alongside legendary players like Canadian Daniel Negreanu, a familiar name to poker fans who regularly follow the international poker circuit.

This year's WSOP drew over 10,000 participants from across the globe, including several dozen Israelis. The buy-in for the event was $10,000, and after two weeks of intense play and eliminations, the final table offered a minimum payout of $1.5 million.

Over the past two decades, Mizrachi has earned millions through victories in several international tournaments. In Los Angeles, he pocketed $1.9 million in one high-profile win, and in Europe, he took home €360,000 after a strong showing at the European Championship in Cannes.

In 2010, Mizrachi came close to winning the world title, finishing fifth and earning a "modest" $2.5 million. That tournament was won by Jonathan Duhamel, another poker star, but even then, many Americans felt it was only a matter of time before Mizrachi claimed the champion's bracelet.

That prediction finally came true Wednesday night, when Mizrachi held a 10/3 of clubs in the final hand, and masterfully turned it into a historic win.

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A wave of violent attacks targeted hundreds of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans late Thursday night into Friday morning throughout Amsterdam's city center following their team's Europa League match against Ajax. Multiple witness accounts describe a pattern of systematic violence that overwhelmed local law enforcement, with some police units eventually withdrawing from certain areas.

"This was meticulously orchestrated," according to multiple witnesses at the scene. "The attackers arrived armed with knives, and some attempted vehicular attacks against fans in the streets. People were fleeing in terror, desperately trying to reach the safety of their hotels." In response, Israel's Foreign Ministry has activated an emergency operations center to facilitate the rapid evacuation of all supporters from the Netherlands.

"The severity of last night's events blindsided us completely," Ami Shooman, an Israel Hayom photographer who attended the match with his son, recounted. "While we anticipated some pro-Palestinian chants, none of us were prepared for the orchestrated violence that awaited. Our police escort ended at the stadium's train station, but upon disembarking at Dam Square in the city center, we faced an ambush. Hundreds of Arab and Turkish attackers had positioned themselves strategically to target Jewish visitors.

"Young people endured what can only be described as attempted lynching, women were in tears fearing for their lives, and I found myself trying to maintain composure, telling my son 'these are just demonstrations' – all while silently praying for it to end. Fellow fans warned against taking taxis, as numerous drivers were immigrants identified as collaborators in the attacks. The police response took hours to materialize. The scene resembled a war zone. We were eventually barricaded inside a restaurant for protection from the bloodthirsty mob outside. By 2 a.m., authorities began evacuating people in armored vehicles to their hotels. This level of organized violence caught the Dutch authorities completely off guard, and it should serve as a wake-up call for all of Europe."

Social media platforms were filled with desperate posts about missing fans who remained unaccounted for after the attacks, while others sought medical attention for injuries sustained from masked assailants carrying Palestinian flags. The club's emergency hotline was flooded with calls from fans trapped inside stores, while others decided to flee Amsterdam entirely, seeking refuge in surrounding communities.

My heart is completely shattered now...

The videos from Amsterdam are horrific - a nightmare comes to life.

By who? Jihadists. Enough is enough!#AmsterdamPogrom #Israel #Iran #AmsterdamAttack pic.twitter.com/gnhnVZVp6W

— Sangita Singh (@Sangitajadon95) November 8, 2024

"The situation was completely out of control," fans who contacted Maccabi Tel Aviv officials for emergency assistance said. "They had attackers positioned at every corner, utilizing their intimate knowledge of the city's layout to cut off escape routes. Even those walking without any visible Israeli or team identification were stopped and interrogated if deemed suspicious. Failure to respond in Arabic or Dutch resulted in immediate physical assault, with no law enforcement in sight."

Witness accounts indicate that Dutch authorities "had severely underestimated the scale of potential unrest, concentrating their forces in the city center while leaving other areas vulnerable." The Israeli Foreign Ministry has initiated a comprehensive outreach effort to contact all Israeli fans who reported attacks. With serious concerns about potential casualties mounting, diplomatic efforts are focused on expediting the safe return of all fans to Israel.

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Renowned soccer legend Rivaldo sits at home in Brazil, just over eight years after hanging up his boots, but when you speak to him about the game in which he excelled, the glint returns to his eye. The word "moving" crops up time and again during the conversation, especially when he is reminded that he is about to don the kit of Barcelona once again, something that will occur in two exhibition matches due to take place in Israel against an all-star team of former Maccabi Tel Aviv legends (Sept. 5 at the Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv) and Maccabi Haifa legends (Sept. 7 at the Sammy Ofer Stadium in Haifa).

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The 53-year-old Brazilian visited Israel just two years ago in the special "El Clásico" match pitting soccer legends against Real Madrid. This time he will meet the two clubs that make up the Israeli "El Clásico", and as far as he is concerned the emotions are identical. "I am very happy and excited to come to Israel again," he tells us in an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom, "I am very fond of Israel and I genuinely appreciate the local fans' affection towards me. This is something that I have particularly enjoyed and I am really glad to come back."

Q: How were your previous visits here in Israel? What particularly sticks out in your mind?

"Apart from the game and the excitement at once again wearing the Barcelona shirt, I really enjoyed traveling and sightseeing in Israel, visiting all the historical locations. I find it very emotional and it is a great honor to experience this once again."

Q: This time you have come to play against Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv legends. Last time you played in your own personal El Clásico, this time it is these two clubs that will make up the Israeli El Clásico. Have you heard about this local version?

 "Actually, yes, I have heard of it. It is a very big game, and I am delighted to play wearing the Barcelona strip, as I am a former Barcelona star, against legends who played for these two clubs. It will be a real pleasure to play against them."

Video: İlkay Gündoğan in Barcelona / Credit: Reuters

Q: A number of other former soccer greats will be coming with you to Israel. Who do you especially miss?

"Javier Saviola. We played so much together and formed a perfect duo. The rest of the players due to arrive are also of a very high level, but what I accomplished with Saviola during my career and later on at the Barcelona legends games, was something extremely special."

Q: Does soccer still do it for you?

"Sure! I still get excited. As soon as I step out onto the turf with the Barcelona jersey, I immediately start to imagine all the great games I took part in at the club. That is what mainly moves me, the memories of wearing the outfit of that great club are something that I shall always take with me."

Q: The Barcelona for whom you played and today's team are in a very different position, mainly financially. What do you see as the most significant differences?

"You are talking about completely different eras. When I played, it was a very special time, with Figo and Saviola. Today, Xavi is building the team and the club to try and win the Champions League. The club is buying good players and that is great, but the fans want the Champions League. When I played it was different. I hope that Xavi succeeds in attaining these goals as I wish only the best for the club."

Q: In the meantime, with all the problems he has had to face, Xavi has succeeded in restoring the Spanish championship to Barca. Did you follow this success?

"I was very happy. I knew that Xavi would succeed. He changed the club after an extremely difficult period. He has done it all gradually, as he knows how, and in my opinion, this year Barcelona will be able not only to win the La Liga championship but also to go even further in the EUFA Champions League.

Q: When you played with Xavi did you ever imagine that he would end up where he is today?

"No, I did not anticipate this or even think of it back then. This is true of both Xavi and Pep Guardiola, as I did not think that either of them would gain such great achievements as managers. As players they both demonstrated the ability to talk and communicate, so the potential was there, but I never imagined just what heights they would be able to reach."

On the question of who is the greatest soccer star of the current generation, Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, Rivaldo needs no time to think of his answer, "Messi, of course", he responds immediately. Hearing such a clear-cut answer from a player who was a virtuoso in his own right, is not something to be taken for granted. It is interesting that on this of all questions, the Brazilian did not attempt to provide a diplomatic answer, and he went with his inner truth.

The next big thing

Rivaldo was a Barcelona star between 1997 and 2002, during which time he won two La Liga titles and two cups. This might be the reason why he is able to appreciate the list of titles won by the inimitable "La Pulga" ("The Flea" – Messi's nickname) with the "Blaugrana" over the years. "That's how things work in soccer," he explains, "Barcelona is a club where Romario, Ronaldinho, Messi, and other unforgettable stars have played. They all eventually left or retired, but the club still remains. A club with such an infrastructure is capable of signing dozens of players."

"But it is difficult to attain the level that Messi has. He arrived at the age of 12 and left an eternal impression on the club, not only because of his long period of service there but mainly due to the large number of titles he won. It will clearly take many years until a new Messi emerges to take his place. The club will probably not waste time in recruiting another player, but it will be extremely difficult to find a player like Messi."

Q: Who is the best player you played with?

"Ronaldo Fenômeno ("The Phenomenon"), the Brazilian."

Q: Neymar is at the end of his career. Who is the next Brazilian star that you can point to?

"Vinícius Júnior. If he continues to play as he is doing now, he will be able to lift many cups in the future, both with Real Madrid and also with the Seleção (the Brazilian national team). He is the one that I have singled out as having the capacity to push Brazilian soccer forward, but he will have to work very hard."

Q: Soccer in Brazil is much more than a game. Tell us something about you as a boy, your dreams, where everything began, and where you gained your passion for the game.

"Soccer is everything in Brazil. It is a really important part of life. Every father in Brazil wants sons so that they might grow up to be soccer stars. My father wanted three boys – and he had three boys. I stood out more than my brothers, and at the age of 13, he was the one to see the potential. We went through hard times, but I wanted to fulfill my father's dream. That was the real goal."

Q: What moment was the pinnacle of your career?

"Winning the World Cup with Brazil in 2002."

Q: And what was the most difficult moment?

"When I began at the age of 16, I came from a very tough background, rife with severe poverty, but I fought it all in order to succeed. I remember all that very well."

Q: Who is the defender you most dreaded playing against?

"The great Paolo Maldini, there were a number of others, but I have never met a defender who comes too close to Maldini."

Q: Have you heard of Yaniv Katan or Avi Nimni?

"I have heard a lot about Yaniv Katan, he played not only in Israel but overseas too. Yes, I have definitely heard of him."

 Q: In conclusion, what is the message you would like to convey to Israeli soccer supporters?

"It is a great honor for me to come to Israel and to play with the Barcelona Legends. I am absolutely delighted and really looking forward to it. We shall meet in Haifa and in Tel Aviv."

Both matches are being arranged by MTR, a company headed by Mauro Rosenshine. The company has been responsible for the production of a number of events both in Israel and abroad, such as the "Peace Game between the Israel National Team Stars and the Brazil Legends Team", as well as the exhibition game between Barcelona Legends and Real Madrid Legends, held at Bloomfield Stadium. Tickets for the games may be purchased on the GET-IN website, from NIS 89 per ticket.

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The Israel Football Association on Wednesday reassured Israeli soccer fans that they will be able to attend the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in late November.

The statement came in response to an Israel Hayom report earlier in the day that former Balad head Azmi Bishara – who fled Israel after he was suspected of spying for the Hezbollah terrorist organization during the 2006 Second Lebanon War – was trying to persuade the Qatari regime to prevent Israeli soccer fans from attending the event.

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"These are things that are finalized at the ministerial and governmental level; we are unaware of any such prohibition," the IFA said.

Some 15,000-30,000 Israelis, some of them Arab Israelis, plan on traveling to Qatar in late November and have already purchased tickets to games.

Qatar had already promised FIFA, the sport's world governing body, that fans from all countries would be allowed to enter the country during the World Cup.

"As long as it's permissible to enter Qatar, we don't expect there to be any problems. Security matters involving warnings and such are the jurisdiction of the Israeli security services, not the Football Association," a senior IDF official said.

Meanwhile, Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, which Bishara helped found, also responded to the Israel Hayom report, saying, "Dr. Azmi Bishara is an Arab writer and philosopher, who has nothing to do with the things the paper [Israel Hayom] attributes to him without trying to evidence or prove. Our Israel affairs editor believes the report was part of an incitement campaign against [Arab Israelis] on one hand, and on the other – based on what was recently published in the American press and several Israeli papers regarding the 'positive' role Qatar is playing in lowering tensions in the occupied areas."

Bishara settled in Qatar after fleeing Israel in 2007. Under the protection of the regime, he has also been serving as an advisor to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Qatar also funds the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, which Bishara founded and chairs. Bishara has also received a diplomatic passport from the Qatari regime.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani was expected to visit Tehran on Thursday, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.

Reuters reported on Sunday that Qatar's emir was due to travel to Iran and later Germany, Britain, and other European states to discuss efforts to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear deal and energy security in Europe.

"Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will travel to Iran tomorrow to follow up on recent agreements and expand bilateral ties, notably cooperation on the holding of the 2022 Football World Cup," IRNA said on Wednesday.

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The Israel Football Association, the Israel Football Referees Association, and the Israel Bar Association launched a joint initiative on Tuesday to train lawyers to become soccer referees.

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The first-of-its-kind training course was held at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv.

"Soccer is a team sport and we, too, in the law profession, work as a team," said Israel Bar Association President Avi Himi. "Although the individual is tremendously important because he scores the goal in the end, ultimately it's a team game. We hear the criticism toward soccer referees, but worry not, in our profession, too, there's criticism toward judges and both systems perform their jobs faithfully."

Oren Hasson, the president of the Israel Football Association, said: "The purpose of this trailblazing cooperation is to bolster the soccer world with men and women who hold dear the ideal of justice and social values. Soccer, and mainly refereeing, offers wonderful tools for life and I'm certain that this integration will contribute to society as a whole."

Attorney Yariv Teper, the CEO of the Israel Football Referees Association, said, "We need better quality judging that is more principled and socially beneficial. The Israel Bar Association's enlistment [in the initiative], and the desire of so many lawyers to take the field and take on this complex challenge points to a great deal of care. I am certain that the Israel Football Referees Association will benefit from the welcome influx [of new referees]."

The inaugural class of trainees consists of some 70 lawyers.

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For the first time ever, an official national team from the United Arab Emirates will compete in a soccer tournament in Israel, along with the youth teams from Germany, Russia, and of course, Israel.

The Gavri Levy winter tournament will take place on November 12-17.

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It will be the first visit of an Arab team to Israel, which comes a year after the respective football associations in Israel and Dubai signed a cooperation agreement. The historic event might also be attended by Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, the president of the UAE Football Association.

Israel Football Association Chairman Oren Hasson said: "[Sunday] morning's good news is unparalleled and is the fruit of a warm and fruitful relationship between the two associations … Many good people on both sides have worked for this moment and for the deepening of cooperation in a variety of fields, believing that football is a wonderful means of bringing the two countries closer together and strengthening them … We will proudly wave the flags of the United Arab Emirates, Germany and Russia alongside our blue and white flag."

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Israel stunned Austria with a 5-2 World Cup qualifier victory on Saturday. The national soccer team will face off Denmark on Tuesday. The latter currently sit in first place in Group F with 15 points, while the blue-and-white team now place second with 10 points.

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Scotland is currently placed third with 8 points and Austria is fourth with 7 points as the two squads will face one another on Tuesday as well.

Head coach Willi Ruttensteiner lauded the players, saying "I'm very proud of the team as they played above of their level and gave everything. People are beginning to see that this team as a unit. As for our World Cup chances, we should not dream but have patience as there are many games to be played but right now we are in good position," he told Israeli media.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place in Qatar from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18, 2022.

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Israeli soccer's first transgender soccer referee took the field Monday for the first time since coming out publicly as a woman last week.

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Sapir Berman blew the whistle as head referee to kick off the Hapoel Haifa vs. Beitar Jerusalem match.

She was greeted with little fanfare by the sparse crowd at Sami Ofer Stadium. A Haifa fan held up a sign reading, "Sapir Berman superwoman."

In pre-game warmups and during the match, it was business as usual for the players. Some chatted and laughed with her before kickoff. Beitar Jerusalem fan Omer Weiss told Israel's Kan 11 News that "we have nothing personal against anyone. Everyone should live their own way."'

Monday evening's game in the northern port city of Haifa had been postponed by a day after Israel declared Sunday a national day of mourning for the 45 people killed in last week's stampede at a religious festival.

Berman has worked as a soccer referee for several years in Israel's Premier League and announced last week that she has publicly come out as a woman. She said that she had received the support of family, fans, soccer officials and players.

Berman follows in the footsteps of British soccer referee Lucy Clark, who came out as transgender in 2018.

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