INVESTIGATION🧵: Israeli Olympic athletes are IDF soldiers. Many have called for genocide in Gaza, or expressed…

INVESTIGATION🧵: Israeli Olympic athletes are IDF soldiers. Many have called for genocide in Gaza, or expressed support for the IDF. This violates the Olympic Charter which states that sports and politics cannot mix. The evidence is staggering⬇️

Peter Paltchik, the Israeli flag bearer at the Paris Olympics, signed bombs that were about to be dropped on Gaza: “From me to you with pleasure.”

Paltchik, a judoka, is seen here confronting pro-Palestine protestors in Japan. A member of his entourage threatens to kill one of the activists after he lightly touched Paltchik.

Paltchick was born in Ukraine, which is ironic given that Russian athletes are banned from competing in the Olympics due to the war there. This double standard will become more apparent as we go down the list.

Sagi Muki, also on the men's judo team, is pictured here in his IDF uniform.

Muki posted a video of the IDF raising an Israeli flag on Gaza Beach after invading it, with the caption “Salute your heroes.”

Their teammate, Yam Wolczak, said “I dedicate this medal to our country, and to my best friends who fight with the best units in the IDF […] I thought about you the whole competition 🫶.”

Another member of the Judo team, Shmailov Baruch. In one post, he advertises the Wingate Institute. Several Israeli national sports teams are based here, yet it is also a military base for fitness training, once again underscoring how Israeli sports and the military are mixed.

Baruch also posed with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at his house before heading to the Paris Olympics.

In support of the IDF, Israeli Judoka Tohar Butbul posted “From here I want to strengthen our dear soldiers at the borders.”

The ICJ ruled earlier this year that “Israel must take all measures within its power to prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to commit genocide.” This undoubtedly includes statements made by public figures and athletes officially representing Israel.

The Olympic Charter states sports organizations must be politically neutral. Clearly, Israelis do not respect this, and neither does the IOC. The Israeli men's judo team recently visited the 102nd Air Force squadron, receiving the commander's blessing for the Paris Olympics.

Olympic athletes from the Israeli women’s judo team recently visited an IDF base as well, posing for photos with the 402nd battallion near Gaza.

In 2021, the IDF posted a video depicting Israeli soldiers and Olympic athletes as one. In the video, Israeli athletes are shown side by side with soldiers, as they transform into IDF troops. A gymnist moving in a circle suddenly cuts to a tank turrent mimicking the same movement.

Tsahal@Tsahal_IDF · Aug 8, 2021

Athlètes Soldates de Olympiques Tsahal 🤝 Championnes

Footballers in the Israeli women’s team recently put together a similar montage, where the video cuts between them wearing their jerseys, to them wearing their IDF uniforms, as if to say: sports and the IDF are one.

This goes beyond mandatory military service. These athletes are proud to be in the IDF, openly mix sports with politics, and pose with the Israeli army even as it bombs Gaza, and stands accused of genocide at the World Court. It is tacit endorsement of genocide and occupation.

Women’s Judo Team Gefen Primo, an Israeli Olympic athlete in the women’s judo team, enlisted in the Israeli Air Force in 2019. In May, she wrote, “Thank you IDF soldiers and security forces.”

Ten years ago, in July 2014, as Israel was bombing Gaza and would go on to kill 2,310 Palestinians, she posted “thank you to the IDF” on Instagram.

Here she is advocating for what is ethnic cleansing (left), and trying to cover for the Israeli bombing of al Ahli (Baptist) hospital which left hundreds dead (right).

Timna Nelson-Levy, also an Israeli Olympic judoka, recently wrote that her heart and thoughts are with “our heroic soldiers all along the way and to them I want to dedicate this medal!”

In December 2023, the Israeli judoka said “I share the sorrow of the families of the IDF victims whose deaths decreed our lives!”

Fellow Olympic judoka Gili Sharir said in November that she wanted to “bring a little joy to the country that I love so much. The State, the soldiers, those kidnapped”, and dedicated a medal “to the IDF soldiers and security services.”

Teammate Maya Goshen wrote, “I want to thank our army for fighting and risking their lives for our country, to make sure we will be able to live here safely.”

Fellow teammate Inbar Lanir joined the IDF at 18. In November, she dedicated her Qatar win “to the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces and to the entire State of Israel.” She also gave an interview to IDF Army Radio.

Raz Hershko joined the IDF in 2016 and is an Israeli Olympic judoka. She recently dedicated several of her medals to a fellow athlete-IDF soldier killed on Oct 7, and “to the security forces and the IDF soldiers.”

When visiting the 402nd with her team mates, she wrote: “I had the privilege of taking part in an inspiring meeting with our combatant soldiers on the Gaza border in the 402th battalion”, wrote Raz Hershko.

Swimming Israeli swimmer Shelly Bobritsky posted a video in October 2023, complaining the Olympic Committee was not supporting Israel enough. She repeats claims about Hamas, that 10 months later have been debunked as propaganda : “raped, beheaded, and tortured”; “burned people alive.”

Shelly Bobritsky in her IDF uniform:

Additional photos of Shelly Bobritsky in her IDF uniform:

Meiron Cheruti, an Israeli Olympic swimmer, posing in his IDF uniform:

Denis Loktev, Israeli Olympic swimmer, is also an IDF soldier