I assume most of you are not familiar with the sport of Bowls. Growing up in Australia, I was, and – not wanting to insult those into the sport – it is not the most exciting to watch (although I am sure competing in it can be fun).
But this rather tame sport has had a bit of “excitement” recently – and not in a good way.
You see, an Israeli was set to compete at the Scottish International Open bowls tournament this week.
That was, until the Israel-haters set their sights on getting him kicked out. And their harassment seems to have worked.
AN Israeli player has withdrawn from competing at a World Bowls Tour contest in Scotland after thousands signed a petition calling for him to banned.
Israeli national qualifier Shalom Ben Ami was set to compete at the Scottish International Open at the West Lothian Indoor Bowling Club, from November 5 to 7.
Show Israeli Genocide the Red Card (The Red Card Group) and Scottish Sport for Palestine condemned the decision to invite him to compete and insisted for it to be withdrawn.
More than 4000 people signed a petition against his country’s participation.
Now, Ben Ami has been withdraw and will not play in the competition
World Bowls Tour, the event organisers, said in a statement released on their social media: “Shalom Ben Ami (Israel) has withdrawn from the WBT Scottish International Open which will be held at West Lothian Indoor Bowling Club from Tuesday 5th to Thursday 7th November.
“Shalom has withdrawn due to personal reasons and PBA Israel have decided not to re-place Shalom with another representative.”
Red Card Glasgow and Scottish Sport for Palestine have said they have suspended all planned demonstrations.
In a joint statement, campaigners said “Scotland can be proud once again,” adding:
“We salute every single person who put their name to the 4000 letters that were sent to the organiser World Bowls Tour (WBT), key members of the Scottish Government and local parliamentary representatives. We honour the petitioners for being on the right side of history.
“When the history books have dismantled the despicable narrative of western governments and their mainstream media, every person who signed these letters can say how they had acted with humanity on behalf of the oppressed and brutalised people of Palestine and Lebanon.”
The group then further called on any representative from Israel, that may have planned to compete in the World Championships in Norfolk, in January 2025, to also withdraw.
While it is not clear whether the World Bowls Tour “suggested” to Shalom that he should quit, or whether Shalom decided on his own that it was not worth putting up with the harassment (the pressure from the petition but also the inevitable protests outside the event that would have occurred had he competed), what seems clear is that his decision is somehow related to the BDS-holes.
Oh, and that they are bullies.
Meanwhile, it is not a complete victory for this scum and villainy; while I found the World Bowls Tour’s post announcing his withdrawal to be dry, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the reactions, from people who are not necessarily pro-Israel:
I suspect more and more people are seeing the haters for what they are.
