# Arabs refuse to play Israeli in table tennis **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 21, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664 "2003-05-21T22:39:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RobbieFal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c5a1d2/32.png) [@RobbieFal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobbieFal)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/1 "2003-05-21T22:39:06Z")
[http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2003-05/21/article16.shtml](http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2003-05/21/article16.shtml) (sorry for the source, it’s the most detailed article I’ve found) \*“When I knew Elensky is of an Israeli nationality, I quit the table without hesitation, despite organizers’ assurances that he is French,” Hamedi told [IslamOnline.net](http://IslamOnline.net) on Wednesday, May 21. He said that he could not compete before a Player whose nationals “commit daily aggressions against innocent Palestinians, killing children and women.”\* Using that logic, Hamedi from Yemen will not compete against me in a ping pong game because his nationals helped blow up the USS Cole. Come on… it’s table tennis. It’s ping-pong. And they’re trying to make a political statement. The only statement really shown to the world is “I’m an assclown who doesn’t want to play an Israeli.” Then again, you do some pretty wacky stuff when you’ve been taught to hate Israel. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/2 "2003-05-21T22:58:45Z")
I agree with you. It would be good if at least people can put their differences aside for sports. Then again the USA boycotted the Olympic games to protest the Soviet intervention on Afghanistan. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/3 "2003-05-21T23:04:43Z")
he’s not an assclown for standing to his convictions, but I don’t think he should have made his stand if elensky was representing a different country than Israel. ---
**Author:** ![RobbieFal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c5a1d2/32.png) [@RobbieFal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobbieFal)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/4 "2003-05-21T23:05:22Z")
and then the Soviets boycotted the Olympic games in LA to spite the US. and then again… Israel has to play world cup qualifers in Europe (I think) since the Arab states kicked her out of the ‘Asian’ group awhile ago ---
**Author:** ![DeadJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@DeadJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadJesus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/5 "2003-05-21T23:05:26Z")
I would also argue that people can do pretty wacky stuff when they’ve been taught to hate Palestinians, like allowing terrorists to sink the only hope your country has in acheiving security and peace. Pretty wacky right, Mr. Sharon? ---
**Author:** ![RobbieFal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c5a1d2/32.png) [@RobbieFal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobbieFal)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/6 "2003-05-21T23:11:12Z")
I just don’t get why it’s harder to negociate peace after some more radicals who want to destroy your nation blew up buses full of innocent people. DeadJesus, I’m sure it’s easy. Also, i’m sure the new Palestinean leader guy Mazen will stop the terrorists. _wink **wink** nudge\*\*nudge_ ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/7 "2003-05-21T23:19:51Z")
of course, attitudes like that will do the world of good, eh robbie? ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/8 "2003-05-21T23:32:18Z")
> [@](#): > > …but I don’t think he should have made his stand if elensky was representing a different country than Israel. because…??? ---
**Author:** ![RobbieFal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c5a1d2/32.png) [@RobbieFal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobbieFal)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/9 "2003-05-21T23:34:22Z")
there isn’t much room to ‘win’ in this. But it’s all off-topic anyways. From somebody who decided to talk about “Israelis hating Palestineans” instead of Yemenis and Saudis refusing to face a man because he’s from Israel ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/10 "2003-05-22T07:53:41Z")
> [@](#): > > The Israeli player appears with sport wear, but he will never hesitate to take them off, wears his military suit and directs his gun at Palestinian children upon coming back home,” said Yemeni Hani al-Hamedi, explaining the cause of his boycott of the match before Gay Elensky. Yeah, he’s an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arabs-refuse-to-play-israeli-in-table-tennis/176664/11 "2003-05-22T09:32:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bizzwire \* > \*\*because…??? \*\* Sorry, I wasn’t very coherent last night. If Elensky was of Israeli origin, but was repatriated to France, and represented the French national team, then the two Arab competitors would be wrong to boycott a match against Elensky on the grounds that he was Israeli. A political statement is only valid if directed against a representative of the nation itself. If Elansky was repatriated, he would be representing France, not Israel. As it stands, The two arabs are wrong, as Elensky wasn’t there as a representative of Israel. He was there as an individual. It wasn’t representing Israel.