"... At about 7:57 p.m., dozens of fans burst out of the direction of the southern stand, which was populated by Beersheba fans, toward the northeastern stand, which was populated by Sakhnin fans, holding sticks and some wearing masks."
The outcome of the incident that triggered the incident, the fact that the Bnei Sakhnin players felt threatened in light of this riot, is also well established in the referee's report. The referee's report is replete with statements that the Bnei Sakhnin players believed and claimed in real time that it was not possible to play in the atmosphere that was created, such as (the quotes are from the players' words as cited in the referee's report): "It is not certain that they are able to play, they are afraid..."; "... that the players are unable to play for one reason or another because of the incident..."; "that they can't go up and play because their players can't because of what happened"; "... And his players are not able to go up to play (even though he says he wants them to play)," and more.
In other words, the match referee determines that, at least subjectively, the Bnei Sakhnin players felt threatened by the situation, and they said so in real time.
Note that the match referee does not determine at any stage of the report that he did not believe the players of Bnei Sakhnin, or that their words were not true, but only brought the events as he experienced them. In my opinion, the absence of a judicial determination by the game referee on this issue was done intentionally, but the conclusion is the same even if it was not done intentionally and constitutes only a reliable description of the matter.
- Hence, when Judge Zarnakin ruled, as follows:
"This violent behavior inflicted fear on the Bnei Sakhnin players who closed themselves in the locker room, and according to the referee's report, the team's officials said that the players' refusal to return to the game stemmed from fear and a subjective feeling that they would not be properly protected when they took to the field." (My emphasis - G.H.)