Tel Aviv-Jaffa District Court
Civil Case 76264-12-24 A.A. The Beer-Sheva Sports Promotion Company in a Tax Appeal v. The Israel Football Association et al.
Before Me The Honorable Judge Gilad Hess
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The Plaintiff Hapoel Be’er Sheva Football Club
By A.A. The Beer-Sheva Sports Promotion Company in a Tax Appeal
By Adv. Zvika Bar-Natan, Adv. Liat Gerber and Adv. Roy Rosen
Against
The Defendants 1. The Israel Football Association
By Adv. Amit Pines and Adv. Aviad Gurman
- Bnei Sakhnin Football Club
Through Hapoel Union Bnei Sakhnin – Association for the Promotion of Sports in Sakhnin (NPO)
By Adv. Wahib Wahid Khatib
| Judgment
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Background
- On September 1, 2024, a soccer match in the Israeli Premier League was to be held between the plaintiff, Hapoel Be'er Sheva Football Club (hereinafter: "Hapoel Be'er Sheva") and defendant 2, Bnei Sakhnin Football Club (hereinafter: "Bnei Sakhnin"). The game is supposed to take place at the "Toto Turner" stadium, which is Hapoel Be'er Sheva's home stadium.
It should be noted that the game was supposed to take place at a time of tense security atmosphere in Israel, against the backdrop of the "Iron Sword" war in general, and the murder of six hostages by Hamas in particular, as reported on the morning of the game.
- The events that took place that evening are not in a material dispute between the parties, and I will describe them briefly, and if there is a dispute about them, I will mention it.
- Before the start of the game, the national anthem of the State of Israel was played. During the singing of the anthem, part of the crowd of fans of the Bnei Sakhnin soccer team turned his back on the field, which was booed, when it was claimed that other degrading acts were also carried out by this crowd, but this issue is in dispute.
- Shortly afterwards, several dozen fans of the Hapoel Be'er Sheva team broke into the field, and washed the field towards the stands of Bnei Sakhnin fans. Some fans wore face masks and some held poles. In light of this break-in by Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans, a small part of the Bnei Sakhnin fans also went down to the field, and a fight developed between the fans.
In light of the brawl, the players of both teams were taken down to the locker rooms.
Within a relatively short time, the police took control of the situation, some of the fans who broke in returned to the stands, others were removed or arrested, and the grass was cleared of people who were not allowed to be there.
- After the police took control of the situation, they informed the match referee, Mr. Ohad Asulin (hereinafter: "the match referee"), that as far as they were concerned, the game could be renewed.
The match referee asked the teams to go up to the grass to play football, but without success. There is no dispute that the players of the Bnei Sakhnin team claimed that they could not return to play and refused to go up to the pitch.