PSNA is supporting the protest at the ASB Tennis Classic this afternoon to express outrage at the participation of Israeli tennis player Lina Glushko.

In Glushko’s own words:

“In these tough days, what my country is going through I can’t be more proud and happy to play with the Israeli flag next to my name and win matches”

Glushko has served in the Israeli military and is an Israeli army reservist. She is representing the rogue, apartheid state of Israel at the tournament.

“It is utterly unacceptable that the ASB Tennis Classic would include a reservist soldier from an army committing genocide in Gaza” says PSNA National Chair John Minto.

“Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) and United Nations officials have all condemned Israel for crimes of genocide and extermination in Gaza”

Within the last few days Israel has renewed attacks on Gaza’s hospitals as it tries to drive the entire Palestinian population from northern Gaza in a massive ethnic cleansing operation called the General’s plan.

Palestinians have faced 76 years of brutal Israeli occupation, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and genocide and have repeatedly called for BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel to bring international pressure for change. This means ending sporting, cultural, economic and diplomatic relations with Israel.

“Apartheid is a crime against humanity wherever it is practiced. Just as we protested apartheid South African players at sports tournaments in the past we are protesting an Israel player today”

14 years ago Palestine solidarity supporters protested Israeli player Shahar Peer at the same tournament.

“Politics and sport are always strongly linked and Glushko’s presence is part of Israel’s strategy to normalise its racism and apartheid against Palestinians. New Zealanders will have none of it”

ASB itself is already morally crippled with its investments in companies such as Motorola which are complicit in building and maintaining illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Now it is helping to normalise Israeli genocide by having Lina Glushko compete.

PSNA has previously written to the government asking it to suspend all visas for Israelis who have served in the Israeli military from coming to New Zealand. We have not yet had a response.

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