Saudi Arabia confiscates dangerous soccer balls (with Israeli flag)

Arabic media are reporting that a soccer ball has been confiscated by Saudi authorities from a shop in Dammam.The reason? Well, it's obvious:

The Saudi Ministry of Trade and Industry responded quickly on Sunday to a citizen complaint via Twitter about the sale of balls bearing the six-pointed star that symbolizes the flag of Israel. Teams of of the Inspection and Control division at the Ministry confiscated the balls from the store located in Dammam."Activists' thanked the ministry for responding so quickly to what must apparently have been considered a threat to public mental health. They are continuing their investigation of how such a horrendous thing could have happened. A few years back, Muslims complained about a flag on soccer balls as well - but not the Israeli flag: (EOZ)

Palestinians call on FIFA to forego tournament in Israel over violations.

                                Palestinian "Soccer Fans" (Other) Palestinians call on FIFA to forego tournament in Israel over violations.(BM).Cairo: Palestinian football leaders and activists have called on the European Football Association (UEFA) to not host the Under-21 tournament in Israel. The Palestine Football Federation President Jibril Rojoub said in a letter to UEFA President Michel Platini that Europe should not hold a championship in a country that jails football players, citing at least three Palestinian footballers currently in prison in the country. He said that Israel is in “direct violation of FIFA regulations.” “We ask, your excellency, to not give Israel the honor to host the next UEFA Under-21 Championship,” Rajoub said, in a letter seen by The Associated Press on Thursday. “We are deeply concerned about the situation of our footballers.” Israel is set to host the 8 nation tournament across four venues from June 5 to 18 next year. The UEFA executive committee voted for Israel in January 2011 over competing bids from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, England and Wales. Rajoub is pressuring Platini to intervene on Palestine’s behalf as player Mahmoud Sarsak approaches his fourth month on a hunger strike. Israel has detained Sarsak without trial for three years as an “illegal combatant” after he was stopped at a Gaza Strip checkpoint while traveling to an international match, Rajoub said. “For athletes in Palestine, there is no real freedom of movement, and the risks of being detained or even killed are always looming before their eyes,” he wrote.Read the full story here.

it looks like those guys are using their hands