Team Israel Forced To Hide Logos And Use Bomb Sniffing Dogs For Protection At World Baseball Classic

Israel is one of the United States' greatest allies, and was the only other country to partner with the US to remove Ayatollah Khamenei in the war in Iran. 

But Israel is also the subject of an endless onslaught of criticism from outsiders, primarily because it responded to a massive terrorist attack by Hamas in 2023 that killed over 1,000 Israeli civilians. While any sane country would do everything in its power to ensure that such a threat was eliminated as thoroughly as possible, many rushed to criticize Israel. Apparently, primarily for existing and refusing to simply accept having their citizens murdered. 

These attitudes have only increased over time, thanks in large part to incentives on social media. And the increasing anti-Israeli radicalization has apparently been so intense that even a baseball team is at risk.

Israel center fielder Jakob Goldfarb. (Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)

Israeli World Baseball Classic Team Stuck Needing Extra Security

Several reports this week from the World Baseball Classic have revealed that the Israeli team needs two extra Major League Baseball-provided security agents than the other teams.

"This is just stuff that other teams do not have to deal with. But it’s stuff that we’re used to dealing with," manager Nate Fish said to JNS. "We don’t talk about it that much."

He wasn't done, explaining the lengths the team has to go to in order to avoid being identified with Israel. 

"You understand this is what you’re signing up for, but we have to deal with a lot of security concerns that no other teams deal with," Fish said. "Bomb-sniffing dogs have to board the buses before we do. We travel with a lot of security. We can’t wear anything that has Israel on our bags even when we travel. When we went to the Olympics, we had to put our logos on the insides of our bags so we could travel."

"You go through your security protocols. You go take batting practice. You go back in the clubhouse," he added. "There are security guys everywhere. You don’t really notice, so it just becomes part of the environment for us."

The fact any of this has to happen, as athletes should never have to fear for their safety anywhere, is disgraceful, but particularly in the United States. And what makes it even more absurd is that the entirety of the Israeli team roster was born in the United States. The subset of people who have made hating Israel their entire personality are taking their hatred out on a bunch of American baseball players. Doesn't get much dumber.