[NZerFromHK]

Uri Dromi is director of International Outreach at the Israel Democracy Institute in Jerusalem.

[NZerFromHK]

I understand the author's intentions. But let's dose some reality with the tournament's arrangements: England won't meet Saudi Arabia until the semi-finals, and I'm certain Saudi Arabia won't make it far and it will be less than 1/3 chance England will make it to the semis.

If Iran makes to to the final 8, it may meet England in the Quarter-finals, but again it is highly doubtful if Iran will make it past the group stage.

Time to read the schedules first, Mr Dromi.

[soccer_maniac]

Official website: http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/

As most of you know, USA qualified for the World Cup and will play their first game against the second-ranked Czech Republic on June 12 in Gelsenkirchen. After facing the Czechs, the U.S. plays Italy in Kaiserslautern on June 17 and concludes group play against Ghana in Nuremberg on June 22.

[MadIvan]

He's completely out of his mind if he prefers Saudi Arabia to England.

Secondly, if he believes that academics in the United States are any different from those in Britain, he hasn't really been paying attention recently. Edward Said made his home at Columbia University, not Oxford.

Regards, Ivan

[taxesareforever]

Really, are we supposed to care who wins? If so, why? If the winner got to push the button on Iran I would care.Until then I don't,

[tophat9000]

American, it's simple: You support the American team,

...When it comes to soccer....not really...

(but then we don't root for any one in soccer)

[TheWasteLand]

I just bought my England jersey today. I hope the Israeli's out there can forgive me ;)

[Central Scrutiniser]

Stupid article, if you are hispanic.... and they don't name Mexico?

As for me, I'm a huge football fan, love the American team. We have a super tough group that we probably won't make out of, no slight on our team, but the Czechs and the Italians are the cream of the crop.

Barring the US and given the fact that my other country, Ireland didn't make it, I will cheer for England, the Netherlands and the "new" African teams, Togo, Cote'de Ivorie, and Ghana and some respect for Tunisia.

I will be, as always against Mexico, France, Argentina, Spain, Croatia and Serbia (still with Montenegro....for now), as well as Iran.

But that is the fun of World Cup, the whole world, the whole spectacle, the rivals, and the groups of death.

[familyop]

The difference between the USA and England on this issue is that the boycott by English academics is supported by so many of them as to be an organized boycott.

Here's another example of sentiment in Britain.

ICM (Poll of British people)
"ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 1,000 adults aged 18+ by telephone on 20-21st April, 2002. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.
. . .
"Q3. In the dispute in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians, from what you have seen and heard about the conflict which of the two do you sympathise with more, Israel or the Palestinians?"

Israel           14%
Palestine      28%
Both            14%
Neither         23%
Don't know   20%
"

[Echo Talon]

Shouldn't Israel be rooting for the USA then?

[Modok]

I always root for Enland's and Australia's defeat. I would even go to a cricket match to see them get defeated.

[Caipirabob]

I for one, hope the British lock bayonets and run the rest of the world off the field. I mean, except for us...we're friends ya know...

As for Israel, I hope they do well at soccer. Still, I place a lot more faith in (and cheer louder for) their military ability to cause Islamofascists to wet themselves. Personally, I prefer to see the latter.

[JRochelle]

This American will be cheering for my second favorite country in the world.

Go Paraguay!!

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Israel doesn't need to worry. I predict England isn't going to go very far in this world cup.


And I WILL be rooting for the USA. Even more so because the Euro trash "futbol" snobs made sure USA was put in a group of death, and will have to play Brazil if we make it out of it. Makes me hope that USA kicks ass just to stick it to those elitist bastards who think they own the sport. I actually think we have a excellent chance to get out of the first round. I believe Italy is probably the most overhyped team going into the world cup and ripe to have team USA destroy them. We beat Italy and Ghana and we get to the next round, then lose to Brazil. That's probably how it will go down.

GO USA!!!

[ReignOfError]

Recently, however, another team has made itself a candidate to be the most disliked by Israelis: England. The reason? The British National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education has just adopted a resolution calling for a boycott on Israeli universities, because of Israel's policies toward the Palestinians.

Do Israeli football fans really follow statements by British teachers' unions that closely? I'd think that if they were looking around for someone to root against, they'd sooner land on England because, y'know, they used to colonize them and stuff.

Looking at the list of teams to find those who have done the least to harm Jews in the last century or so of history, it comes down to a pretty short list -- USA, Australia, and, yes, England. I think Argentina and Brazil have been pretty accommodating both to Jews and to Nazi war criminals, so that's kind of a wash.