Jerusalem, Middle East - Israeli Arab soccer players accused Israel's National Soccer Federation of religious insensitivity after it refused to reschedule a game during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
During Ramadan, observant Muslims refrain from drinking and eating from sunrise to sunset. When the federation slotted a Saturday game for the mixed Arab-Jewish team of Bnei Sakhnin just four minutes after the end of the fast, seven of the Muslim players ate early to be ready.
Tensions between Arabs and Jews in Israel often play out on the soccer field, with fans of rival teams chanting ethnic slurs during games. Arab players are sometimes booed by Jewish fans.
Bnei Sakhnin won Israel's State Cup last year, earning it respect among Jewish and Arab fans alike. The team has complained of discrimination in the past, noting that it had the lowest budget of the 12-team league.
Ahead of Ramadan, which began in early October, Bnei Sakhnin had asked the soccer federation not to schedule games for an hour after the end of the fast, the team's Jewish coach, Loufa Kadosh, told Israel Army Radio.
The federation's manager, Pini Kainan, said that the federation had to hold the game at the designated time due to commercial considerations, including TV broadcast times.
The team's captain, Abbas Suan, a Muslim, said the refusal to reschedule the game was inexcusable. Team officials said they would bring up the matter at the next meeting of the federation's board.