- Fans of Palestinian team Bnei Sakhnin turned their backs on Israeli national anthem
- Rival Hapoel Beersheba supporters stormed the field and beat them with sticks
- Ugly scenes led to arrest of 12 supporters of the Israeli side during riots
Chaos broke out during an Israeli Premier League soccer match, with 12 people arrested during riots on the pitch.
Supporters of Bnei Sakhnin, a team traditionally supported by Israeli Arabs, turned their backs on the Israeli national anthem before kick-off.
Angry Hapoel Beersheba fans responded by storming onto the pitch and attacking their Sakhnin colleagues, even beating them with long sticks.
Footage shows the battle unfolding, with weapons being used in violent confrontations.
Hundreds of people rushed onto the lawn to witness the horrific scenes. The incident was recorded from the stands.
Hapoel Beersheba fans rioted and confronted Bnei Sakhnin supporters
Images show sticks being used in violent clashes on the field
All twelve arrested rioters were fans of Hapoel Beersheba. The players and referees took cover outside the field.
After the brawl, the match was supposed to resume, but the Bnei Sakhnin players refused to enter the field.
“We are prepared for the consequences if we cannot attend the match,” the club said officially. The selection did not feel safe.
An hour after the proposed new kick-off time, the league announced that the match would not go ahead.
A statement from the Israeli Premier League said: ‘After Hapoel Beersheba fans stormed the pitch and Sakhnin players went to the locker rooms, the stadium police chief informed Sakhnin players that there were no obstacles to the match going ahead. Police forces were deployed to ensure the game was played properly.
‘Despite this, some Sakhnin players refused to return to the field. The match will not take place today and the matter will be referred to the disciplinary committee for resolution.’
When Hapoel Beersheba fans saw their rivals turn away from the Israeli national anthem, they ran onto the pitch to confront them, provoking violent clashes
And the police added: ‘This evening, during the national anthem, before the kick-off of the football match between Hapoel Beersheba and Bnei Sakhnin, dozens of fans of both teams stormed the field and started a violent brawl.
‘The police present at the stadium acted quickly, restored order and arrested 12 fans from both teams.
‘After the incident, Bnei Sakhnin players refused to resume the match, prompting the referee to cancel the match.’
The violent scenes took place against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The death toll in Gaza is now estimated at more than 40,780 men, women and children. Israel’s continued military action follows a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, which left 1,200 people dead.
