Israel is warning its citizens heading to the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar to be vigilant and try to disguise their Israeli identity due to concerns for their safety in the Muslim country.
Israel’s warning is part of a foreign ministry campaign, launched on Wednesday, to educate the nation’s soccer fans about laws and customs in the conservative Muslim country.
The campaign calls on Israelis to hide any Israeli symbols, presumably a reference to Israeli flags and the Stars of David.
The campaign website, in Hebrew and Arabic, lays out a potential minefield awaiting Israeli tourists who will find themselves in a country that criminalizes homosexuality, bans drugs, restricts alcohol consumption and has a tenuous relationship with the state of Israel.
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People gather around the official countdown timer showing the time remaining until kickoff of the 2022 World Cup, in Doha, Qatar
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Additionally, Israeli fans will also interact with Iranian fans, whose government has for decades denounced the existence of the state of Israel and launched proxy attacks against the country.
“The Iranian team will participate in the World Cup and we estimate that tens of thousands of fans will follow it, and there will be other fans from Gulf countries with whom we have no diplomatic relations,” said Lior Haiat, a senior Israeli diplomat.
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“You downplay your Israeli presence and your Israeli identity for the sake of your personal safety,” Haiat said, addressing Israeli fans.
Some 1.2 million international visitors are expected to visit the World Cup tournament in Qatar which kicks off on Sunday and Middle Eastern countries have reached a historic deal allowing Israelis without foreign passports to travel despite a lack of diplomatic ties.
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People gather around the official countdown timer showing the time remaining until kickoff of the 2022 World Cup, in Doha, Qatar
(AP Photo/Darko Bandic, Files)
As part of the deal, Qatar will allow Israeli diplomats, through a private travel company, to provide consular support to Israelis during the tournament. The diplomats left for Qatar on Wednesday.
Nearly 4,000 Israeli and 8,000 Palestinian fans have visas to enter Qatar for the tournament. The ministry predicts that up to 20,000 Israelis could eventually participate in the World Cup.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
