On Thursday, Israel took its two first medals – both in judo – during the Paris Olympic Games. Bronze medalist Peter Paltchik (+100 kilo) immediately received criticism from, for example, the Palestinian Olympic Committee for a social media post last year.
After the October 7 attack, Paltchik – who was one of Israel's flag bearers at the Olympic Games opening – shared a picture of Israeli bombs allegedly signed with greetings to the terrorist-stamped organization Hamas.
"Against a terrorist organization"
It (the post) was not (directed) against a country. Not against a people, but against a terrorist organization, says Yael Arad, head of the Israeli Olympic team to the news agency AFP.
She questions the claims that Paltchik personally wrote a greeting on the bombs. Above the picture was added: "From me to you with pleasure", as an allusion to the bombs being fired from Israel towards Palestinian areas.
He never signed any bomb, he took a picture from the internet and shared it, says Yael Arad.
Shortly before the Olympic Games were about to begin, the Palestinian Olympic Committee demanded that Israel be stopped from participating, as they believed the country was violating the Olympic peace, which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) wants to prevail around every game.
"Shameful"
I think it's shameful to bring politics into this instead of focusing on the sports, says Yael Arad.
Arad states that Israeli Olympic athletes have received death threats on the internet and that personal information about athletes has been spread on social media. In the Olympic stands, they have received boos during competitions, and it is being investigated whether anti-Semitic gestures occurred when Israel's men's football team met Paraguay.
We prepared our athletes for all forms of provocations. We prepared them through special meetings and with a special team, says Yael Arad.
