The outrageous decision of the chess tournament in the Netherlands regarding players from Samaria

The organizers of the Amsterdam Chess Open tournament in the Netherlands changed the competition regulations to prevent participation of players representing clubs in Judea and Samaria, starting January 2027. The move followed pressure against the participation of Israeli grandmaster Aharon Bagratyoni, who represents the Elitzur Samaria club. The head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yochai Damari, appealed to Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Sports Minister Miki Zohar demanding intervention, calling the decision anti-Semitic and discriminatory.

The organizers of the Amsterdam Chess Open tournament in the Netherlands announced a regulation change that will broadly prohibit players representing clubs in Judea and Samaria from participating in the competition, starting January 1, 2027. The decision was made following political pressure against the planned participation of Israeli grandmaster Aharon Bagratyoni, who plays for the Elitzur Samaria club in Sha'arei Tikva. Bagratyoni announced he would not take part in the upcoming competition, but the organizers went further and imposed an absolute ban on players associated with clubs in these areas. The head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yochai Damari, urgently appealed to Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar demanding intervention with the Dutch authorities and international sports institutions. Damari attacked the decision, calling it severe discrimination and anti-Semitism, and warned that a boycott starting in chess could expand to all fields. Dr. Hagai Frank, director of the Elitzur Samaria Chess Club, expressed disappointment and called on the Israel Chess Federation and FIDE to stand by the Israeli players.