
David Robie also blogs at Café Pacific
From Asia Pacific Report:
A Palestine solidarity group has protested over the participation of Israeli tennis player Lina Glushko in New Zealand’s ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland this week, saying such competition raises serious concerns about the normalisation of systemic oppression and apartheid.
The Palestine Forum of New Zealand said in a statement that by taking part in the event Glushko, a former Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) soldier, was sending a “troubling message that undermines the values of justice, equality, and human rights”.
In the past 15 months, Israel’s military has killed almost 45,500 people in the besieged enclave of Gaza, mostly women and children.
- READ MORE: Experts hail ICJ declaration on illegality of Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory as ‘historic’ for Palestinians and international law
- Other Israel’s war on Gaza reports
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has declared the occupation of Palestine, including Gaza, illegal, and Israel should end settlements as soon as possible.

Pro-Palestine protest causes pause in play at ASB Classic, via @nzherald https://t.co/klzdZ4inCt
— Irish Sport for Palestine (@Sport4Palestine) December 30, 2024
Since the court ruling in July, Israel has intensified attacks on the civilian population in Gaza and their natural resources and infrastructure, including hospitals and health clinics.
“Welcoming Israeli athletes to Aotearoa is not a neutral act. It normalises the systemic injustices perpetrated by the Israeli state against Palestinians,” said Maher Nazzal of the Palestine Forum.
“Just as the international sports community united to oppose South Africa’s apartheid in the 20th century, we must now stand firm against Israel’s ongoing violations of international law and human rights.”
Implements apartheid policies
He said former soldier Glushko symbolised a regime that:
- Implements apartheid policies: As documented by leading organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch;
- Operates under leadership accused of war crimes: With an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant issued against Israeli officials; and
- Continues its illegal occupation of Palestine: In direct violation of international law and countless United Nations resolutions.
The statement said: “While sports often aim to transcend politics, they cannot be isolated from the realities of injustice and oppression.
“By welcoming athletes representing an apartheid regime, we risk ignoring the voices of the oppressed and allowing sports to be used as a tool for whitewashing human rights abuses.
“We urge the international and local sports community to remain consistent in their principles by refusing to host representatives of regimes that perpetuate apartheid.
“The global boycott of South African athletes during apartheid proved that sports can be a powerful force for change. The same principle must apply today.”

RNZ News reports that vocal pro-Palestine protesters managed to halt sixth seed Naomi Osaka’s eventual win 6-4 6-4 over Israeli Lina Glushko today at the ASB Classic.
A group of about a dozen protesters caused the players to briefly leave the court, as the noise from a loudhailer and shouting disrupted the usual silence while the ball was in play.
For her part, Osaka seemed non-plussed, saying that she had “just heard a lot of shouting and then people on the sidelines were telling me there was a protest”.
There was a further delay shortly after when Glushko had to leave the arena for a medical timeout, causing further confusion.
Meanwhile, global news agencies and media widely reported the NZ protest against Israel’s genocide.
Tennis star Naomi Osaka defeated former IDF soldier and current army reservist Lina Glushko 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators used microphones from outside the venue to disrupt the match, chanting… pic.twitter.com/QcPizkekuO
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) December 30, 2024
Dr. Robie – Great summary It’s a shame you did not get any input from the pro-Israel side to balance out your post.
Sometimes there is only one side.
Why consult with you child-molesters?
Pathetic Nathan – you could have directed people who wanted to know that the summary of Dr Robie had factual basis – to Leslie’s B’s almost daily list of transgressions in this war. You hold yourself out as a thinking person, so keep to that line strongly so we all understand. And maybe it won’t change anything as dirt rubbed in is hard to shift. But we could try. And I do.
Wah, wah
It’s still been a good year for Israel and a bad year for its enemies: Hamas almost totally destroyed, Hezbollah badly damaged, Syria’s Assad gone and with it Iran’s supply lines to them, plus most of his abandoned military weapons destroyed, leaving local jew-haters will little to takeover. Best of all Iran is the weakest she’s ever been and primed for an overthrow of the Mullah’s horror regime.
It’s been a year showing the inhumane cruel torture of Israehell to the World. Get a brain transplant you fucktard.
When will you tell the Palestinians that they’ve lost?
Why don’t you, in person.
Because they’d kill me, as you imply.
There’s the NZ public who object to the genocide, any genocide. Then there is the NZ government …….
Piss off Nick
NO genocide, get used to it, just smashing Hamas who hide behind women and children and have arsenals stored under hospitals, mosques and schools.
They have been pummeled, and Iran is on the retreat.
So I R, you confirm your approval of genocide. Get over there, killing women and children on the assumption that they are Hamas or whatever, right up your alley?
Support for terrorist groups prevails on this site.
Gosh Im Right if you haven’t got any good things happening in your view of the situation, don’t start a war on the blog please. No intemperate language; keep cool in an inflammatory situation where real people are desperately involved. Save your high-jinx for games-playing.
As for NZ/AO position on Israel’s total war etc. there has been a clear out of cupboards and requisites of government ownership and use in past decades, and the moral compass got trashed along with other important artifacts.