Dubai tennis event agrees to pay record fine
The Dubai Tennis Championships will pay a record fine of $300,000 over its country’s refusal to award a visa to an Israeli player. The heads of the tournament agreed May 17 to pay the fine after the World Tennis Association turned down the Dubai appeal, the Associated Press reported.
The United Arab Emirates rejected Israeli tennis champion Shahar Peer’s request for a visa to play in the Dubai tournament just days before the start of the competition and shortly before she planned to travel to the UAE in February.
The WTA also will require the organizers of the Dubai tournament to ensure that Israeli players who qualify for the event receive their visas at least eight weeks ahead of the 2010 tournament. — jpost.com
Anti-Semitic violence erupts in Buenos Aires
A violent anti-Semitic demonstration erupted in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina, during a public celebration of Israel’s 61st anniversary on May 17.
Shortly after Jewish families and their non-Jewish neighbors began Independence Day celebrations at a “Buenos Aires Celebrates” event, a group of about 20 people came out of a subway depot with anti-Semitic banners and signs and fighting broke out.
According to the organizers, a number of Jews were beaten and required medical attention, the French news agency AFP reported.
“It was really a very violent act,” said Aldo Donzis, the DAIA Jewish local political umbrella institution president. “In the middle of the cultural festival, the group attacked with complete impunity. Five police officers that were standing in a corner took a long time before acting. Two people from the public were hurt as well as a policeman. Many of the aggressors ran away, but five of them were caught by the policemen and others from the public who chased them.”
The Israeli festival was part of a series of events celebrating Buenos Aires’ diversity; a Greek festival was held in March and a Russian celebration is planned for June. The Israeli celebration, which included Israeli music, poetry, crafts and dance, continued as scheduled after the attack. — jta