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Soccer / 'I made a decision for the good of all Israeli soccer' By Moshe Boker After canceling this weekend's schedule of Premier League soccer matches, Avi Luzon made it clear on Monday the problem did not lie with the security forces, particularly the police, being overburdened by the operation in Gaza. "Concerning the police, we had the option to carry out as planned most of the games this weekend," the Israel Football Association chair told Haaretz during an interview Monday. "In the [second-tier] National League, Hapoel Be'er Sheva's game was going to be postponed because the team was supposed to host it." Advertisement The heads of the clubs applied heavy pressure. "I want to make it clear that not one of them called me, save for Alona Bareket [owner of Hapoel Be'er Sheva], who asked to meet with me. I am informing you officially - not one chairman or team owner spoke with me, requested a meeting, demanded clarifications, sent a text message or even sent me an e-mail message." What about media reports in this regard? "All the talk about owners wanting to postpone games comes only through the press, and with all due respect to the papers, I don't correspond with anyone through the media, not even owners. I tell you openly that team opinions did not concern me much on this issue. Every team had its own reasons for playing or not playing: how prepared it was and how much it improved during the break. There are places in Israel where the war is felt less. Some don't feel it at all, because they are outside of rocket range. I made a decision for the good of all Israeli soccer and soccer fans in particular." How do you know what the public thinks and what it wants? "Over the last few days I met many citizens, and I asked all of them if they thought the games should go on, if they would come to the match in this situation. I made a call in line with the national mood. There are players, fans and citizens whose families are fighting in Gaza. With all due respect to soccer, there are situations that require a different amount of attention." But why not hold the games? "The easiest thing for me would have been to have the games. But, I know the public's mood right now is bad, and that Israeli soccer fans would rather stay home, stick to their televisions, and carefully follow the developments - so I made the declaration that we would not hold the games so as to say that life should carry on as normal. I'm not interested in slogans like 'Don't let Hamas interfere with our lives.' I don't want to be a hero and to say there will be games, and then see 100-200 fans. I decided to preempt that." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Humanitarian initiative There is a way for Israel to prove it is committed to universal moral values. Top Targets An Islamist site is compiling a list of U.K. Jews to target over Gaza op.

Read & React Bradley Burston / A Jew's prayer for the children of Gaza Responses: 52 IDF: Shelled UN school in Gaza used as hideout by Hamas Responses: 100 ANALYSIS / Using aggressive tactics in Gaza to save soldiers' lives Responses: 23 Venezuela's Chavez: Gaza operation is a Palestinian 'holocaust' Responses: 26 Amira Hass: Lucky my parents aren't alive to see Israel bomb Gaza Responses: 40 More Headlines 23:29 Israel bombs south Gaza tunnels, tells local residents to flee 01:09 Barak: If cease-fire deal doesn't meet Israel's demands, Gaza operation will continue 21:55 Clashes resume in Gaza City after 3-hour humanitarian truce 22:58 Rice: Gaza truce needed, but must not allow return to 'status quo ante' 18:30 Defense sources: Even if Hamas agrees to truce, its armed wing may resist 23:37 25 Gaza rockets strike Negev over course of Wednesday 21:27 Obama vows to 'engage immediately' on Mideast once inaugurated 12:57 A Jew's prayer for the children of Gaza 18:20 Get up to the minute coverage of the warfare in Gaza directly to your email 11:35 ANALYSIS / Israel must double, triple, quadruple its medical aid to Gaza 14:34 Report: Islamist site compiling list of U.K. Jews to target over Gaza op 20:40 In battle for public opinion, IDF Web site puts female face forward 16:14 Israel defers vote on expanding Gaza ground op amid growing truce bids 22:00 Joe the Plumber named conservative Web site's war correspondent in Israel 14:53 Nasrallah: Hezbollah will make Lebanon war look like 'a walk in the park' 01:51 German court rules Nazi hit man unfit to stand trial 01:24 IDF reserve forces receive fictitious calls for duty in Gaza 21:35 WATCH: Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Zalman Shoval on Gaza conflict 21:33 U.S. rabbi raises $100,000 to buy care packages for IDF troops in Gaza 14:19 Amira Hass / 86 hours after Gaza home shelled, family still lacks medical aid Previous Editions Select Day 07 jan 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 29 dec 28 dec 26 dec 25 dec

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