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South Africa’s Top Cricket Body Knocks Back Jewish Community Concerns Over Removal of Jewish Player as Team Captain
South African U-19 star cricketer David Teeger. Photo: Screenshot
South African Jewish leaders on Tuesday encountered frustration after a meeting with Cricket South Africa (CSA) — the sport’s governing body in the country — failed to restore the captaincy of the U-19 national team to David Teeger, the Jewish player who was stripped of his role just one week before the commencement of the Cricket World Cup on Friday amid accusations of antisemitism.
At an online press conference, Prof. Karen Milner — the national chair of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) — relayed that the group’s meeting with CSA board chair Lawson Naidoo and other members of the executive over the decision had resulted in a stalemate, with virtually no points of mutual understanding between the two sides.
Teeger’s removal from the U-19 captaincy was the consequence, according to last week’s CSA statement, of its concern “that protests related to the war in Gaza can be anticipated at the venues for the tournament.”
It added that such protests would likely focus on Teeger — an observant Jew and resident of Johannesburg who made his professional cricket debut in 2023, scoring an impressive 51 runs for the South Africa Emerging Players side against North Cape. Teeger was only appointed to the captaincy of the U-19 team last month.
The targeting of Teeger could result “in conflict or even violence between rival groups of protesters,” CSA said. Invoking its “duty to safeguard the interests and safety of all those involved in the World Cup,” it said that Teeger had been “relieved of the captaincy … in the best interests of the players, the U-19 team, and David himself.” Teeger would “remain an important and active member of the team and we wish him and the team every success in the tournament,” CSA concluded.
Teeger first became a target for the vocal pro-Hamas movement in South Africa just weeks after the Oct. 7 pogrom in southern Israel. Receiving an award at a Jewish communal ceremony that same month, Teeger dedicated it to “the State of Israel and every single soldier fighting so that we can live and thrive in the diaspora.”
Despite the opprobrium these comments generated, an independent inquiry concluded that Teeger had not violated any of CSA’s rules or regulations with his comments, clearing his way to be appointed as captain.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Zev Krengel, SAJBD’s vice-president, insisted that CSA’s invocation of security concerns was a “ruse” to cover its determination to remove Teeger as team captain despite the inquiry’s findings. He asserted that CSA’s reasoning had continually shifted, with an initial focus on Teeger’s well-being. But after Teeger made clear his desire to remain as captain, CSA then raised the welfare of the team overall, going on to argue that there was a risk of violence between police and protesters at the World Cup in the event that he led the side.
Krengel also pointed out that CSA had initially said it had received a security report. However, when the SAJBD asked for a copy, they were told that the information had in fact been delivered as a “briefing.” When asked who had provided the briefing, CSA refused to answer.
“They tried to get David to step down voluntarily, saying ‘it’ll be hard for you.’ He refused and that’s when they stripped him,” Krengel said.
Krengel added that the decision was “pure antisemitism.”
“This smells of the 1936 Olympics” in Berlin, he said, referring to when two athletes from the US team, Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller, were abruptly withdrawn from the 4×100 meter relay on the official grounds that they were not fast enough, although the consensus among historians is that they were replaced so as not to offend Nazi leader Adolf Hitler with the sight of Jewish athletes competing.
“When asked who gave the briefing they refused to tell us. They admit there’s no security report,” Krengel said. “So there’s only two options, antisemitism at CSA or massive political interference from the ANC.”
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has been one of the leaders of the political charge against Israel over the last three months, bringing a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing the Jewish state of committing “genocide” in its military response to the Oct. 7 atrocities perpetrated by Hamas.
Milner said that CSA had “found an excuse to exclude a young Jewish cricketer, to strip him of his honors in the most hurtful and humiliating way four days before the start of the tournament.” She reported that the meeting had closed with a CSA board member suggesting that they should “agree to disagree.”
“The SAJBD cannot agree to disagree when issues of antisemitism are at stake,” she stated. She added that the SAJBD would continue to demand Teeger’s reinstatement, emphasizing that there was “no way this can be resolved without that.” Separately, Krengel said that when he asked the CSA board whether they could agree that a Jew being removed from the captaincy was a “sad day” for South African cricket, his interlocutors again refused to answer.
Krengel said the SAJBD would now approach the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s global governing body, to call out CSA’s act of “discrimination.”
“If the ICC does nothing about it, it will be a black mark against the ICC as the 1936 Olympics were a black mark for the International Olympic Committee,” he said.
However, the ICC on Tuesday said it was unable to step into the controversy.
“Team selection including captaincy is an issue for members and not the ICC,” a spokesperson said. “An international federation is not constituted to intervene in team selections.”
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Iran, US Task Experts to Design Framework for a Nuclear Deal, Tehran Says
Atomic symbol and USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, September 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Iran and the United States agreed on Saturday to task experts to start drawing up a framework for a potential nuclear deal, Iran’s foreign minister said, after a second round of talks following President Donald Trump’s threat of military action.
At their second indirect meeting in a week, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi negotiated for almost four hours in Rome with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, through an Omani official who shuttled messages between them.
Trump, who abandoned a 2015 nuclear pact between Tehran and world powers during his first term in 2018, has threatened to attack Iran unless it reaches a new deal swiftly that would prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran, which says its nuclear program is peaceful, says it is willing to discuss limited curbs to its atomic work in return for lifting international sanctions.
Speaking on state TV after the talks, Araqchi described them as useful and conducted in a constructive atmosphere.
“We were able to make some progress on a number of principles and goals, and ultimately reached a better understanding,” he said.
“It was agreed that negotiations will continue and move into the next phase, in which expert-level meetings will begin on Wednesday in Oman. The experts will have the opportunity to start designing a framework for an agreement.”
The top negotiators would meet again in Oman next Saturday to “review the experts’ work and assess how closely it aligns with the principles of a potential agreement,” he added.
Echoing cautious comments last week from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, he added: “We cannot say for certain that we are optimistic. We are acting very cautiously. There is no reason either to be overly pessimistic.”
There was no immediate comment from the US side following the talks. Trump told reporters on Friday: “I’m for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific.”
Washington’s ally Israel, which opposed the 2015 agreement with Iran that Trump abandoned in 2018, has not ruled out an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities in the coming months, according to an Israeli official and two other people familiar with the matter.
Since 2019, Iran has breached and far surpassed the 2015 deal’s limits on its uranium enrichment, producing stocks far above what the West says is necessary for a civilian energy program.
A senior Iranian official, who described Iran’s negotiating position on condition of anonymity on Friday, listed its red lines as never agreeing to dismantle its uranium enriching centrifuges, halt enrichment altogether or reduce its enriched uranium stockpile below levels agreed in the 2015 deal.
The post Iran, US Task Experts to Design Framework for a Nuclear Deal, Tehran Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hamas Says Fate of US-Israeli Hostage Unknown After Guard Killed in Israel Strike
Varda Ben Baruch, the grandmother of Edan Alexander, 19, an Israeli army volunteer kidnapped by Hamas, attends a special Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony with families of other hostages, in Herzliya, Israel October 27, 2023 REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki
Hamas said on Saturday the fate of an Israeli dual national soldier believed to be the last US citizen held alive in Gaza was unknown, after the body of one of the guards who had been holding him was found killed by an Israeli strike.
A month after Israel abandoned the ceasefire with the resumption of intensive strikes across the breadth of Gaza, Israel was intensifying its attacks.
President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said in March that freeing Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old New Jersey native who was serving in the Israeli army when he was captured during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks that precipitated the war, was a “top priority.” His release was at the center of talks held between Hamas leaders and US negotiator Adam Boehler last month.
Hamas had said on Tuesday that it had lost contact with the militants holding Alexander after their location was hit in an Israeli attack. On Saturday it said the body of one of the guards had been recovered.
“The fate of the prisoner and the rest of the captors remains unknown,” said Hamas armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades’ spokesperson Abu Ubaida.
“We are trying to protect all the hostages and preserve their lives … but their lives are in danger because of the criminal bombings by the enemy’s army,” Abu Ubaida said.
The Israeli military did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Hamas released 38 hostages under the ceasefire that began on January 19. Fifty-nine are still believed to be held in Gaza, fewer than half of them still alive.
Israel put Gaza under a total blockade in March and restarted its assault on March 18 after talks failed to extend the ceasefire. Hamas says it will free remaining hostages only under an agreement that permanently ends the war; Israel says it will agree only to a temporary pause.
On Friday, the Israeli military said it hit about 40 targets across the enclave over the past day. The military on Saturday announced that a 35-year-old soldier had died in combat in Gaza.
NETANYAHU STATEMENT
Late on Thursday Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’ Gaza chief, said the movement was willing to swap all remaining 59 hostages for Palestinians jailed in Israel in return for an end to the war and reconstruction of Gaza.
He dismissed an Israeli offer, which includes a demand that Hamas lay down its arms, as imposing “impossible conditions.”
Israel has not responded formally to Al-Hayya’s comments, but ministers have said repeatedly that Hamas must be disarmed completely and can play no role in the future governance of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to give a statement later on Saturday.
Hamas on Saturday also released an undated and edited video of Israeli hostage Elkana Bohbot. Hamas has released several videos over the course of the war of hostages begging to be released. Israeli officials have dismissed past videos as propaganda.
After the video was released, Bohbot’s family said in a statement that they were “deeply shocked and devastated,” and expressed concern for his mental and physical condition.
“How much longer will he be expected to wait and ‘stay strong’?” the family asked, urging for all of the 59 hostages who are still held in Gaza to be brought home.
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Oman’s Sultan to Meet Putin in Moscow After Iran-US Talks
FILE PHOTO: Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said gives a speech after being sworn in before the royal family council in Muscat, Oman January 11, 2020. Photo: REUTERS/Sultan Al Hasani/File Photo
Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said is set to visit Moscow on Monday, days after the start of a round of Muscat-mediated nuclear talks between the US and Iran.
The sultan will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, the Kremlin said.
Iran and the US started a new round of nuclear talks in Rome on Saturday to resolve their decades-long standoff over Tehran’s atomic aims, under the shadow of President Donald Trump’s threat to unleash military action if diplomacy fails.
Ahead of Saturday’s talks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. Following the meeting, Lavrov said Russia was “ready to assist, mediate and play any role that will be beneficial to Iran and the USA.”
Moscow has played a role in Iran’s nuclear negotiations in the past as a veto-wielding U.N. Security Council member and signatory to an earlier deal that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.
The sultan’s meetings in Moscow visit will focus on cooperation on regional and global issues, the Omani state news agency and the Kremlin said, without providing further detail.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss trade and economic ties, the Kremlin added.
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