Ex-Maccabi Haifa Goalkeeper: Israelis Live in Constant Tension
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Former Maccabi Haifa goalkeeper Georgiy Yermakov said Israelis "live in constant tension and an atmosphere of uncertainty" and prioritize their own country's issues. He noted that Israelis "don't fully understand the situation in Ukraine" but became more interested after he shared his experiences online. Yermakov also recalled his Maccabi Haifa teammates supporting his decision to refuse handshakes with Belarusian opponents, a stance they understood due to a similar incident with Villarreal.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former Maccabi Haifa goalkeeper Georgiy Yermakov described Israelis as living in constant tension and uncertainty.
- Yermakov stated Israelis "don't fully understand the situation in Ukraine."
- His former teammates became more interested in Ukraine after he posted about daily life there.
- Maccabi Haifa teammates supported Yermakov's refusal to shake hands with Belarusian players.
- Yermakov's teammates understood his stance due to a similar incident with Villarreal.
Georgiy Yermakov, a former goalkeeper for Maccabi Haifa and currently with Ukrainian club Metalurh Zaporizhzhia, discussed life in Israel and the local response to the war with Russia in a recent interview. Yermakov, who left Maccabi Haifa in July after two years, stated that Israelis "live in constant tension and an atmosphere of uncertainty," leading them to prioritize events in their own country.
He observed that Israelis "don't fully understand the situation in Ukraine." Yermakov explained that after he began posting about daily life in Ukraine on social media, his former teammates and others in Israel showed increased interest and asked him more questions about the conflict.
Yermakov also recounted an incident where he refused to shake hands with players from Belarusian club Torpedo-BelAZ during a Conference League qualifier. He stated that his Maccabi Haifa teammates supported his decision, which he saw as a respectful gesture towards the club. He had informed them of his intention beforehand, and they acknowledged and respected his stance.
He drew a parallel to a situation involving Villarreal, where Israeli players reportedly refused to shake hands with Villarreal's players after the Spanish club expressed support for Palestinians following the October 7th attacks. Yermakov noted that this incident helped his teammates fully understand his position, and they assured him of their support, affirming his right to refuse handshakes with opponents.
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