Obama State Department Stops Israeli From Playing In The NBA

In yet another case of the Obama Administration enforcing special rules on Israel and Israelis that don't apply to any other country, an Israeli basketball player is being prevented from playing in the NBA.

The Indiana Pacers have been hit with severe injuries, and the NBA allowed them a hardship exemption that allowed them to sign a 16th player through last ‎Thursday.

The Dallas Mavericks had waived Israeli Gal Mekel to the Pacers, who was desperately needed because four of the Pacer's five guards are injured and they only have 9 active duty players on their roster.

But the U.S. State Department then did something unheard of:

The NBA granted the injury-depleted Pacers a hardship exemption that allowed them to sign a 16th player through last ‎Thursday. When the State Department refused to move up the expiration date on Mekel’s visa even by one day, the Pacers, who had only 9 players on their active roster, backed out of the deal to sign another player before their waiver lapsed.

Normally, visas for foreign-born players in the NBA are automatically transferable with the players to whom they are issued. More than 100 foreign-born players are currently in the NBA. This is the first instance many basketball analysts can recall where a foreign-born player was prevented from signing with a new NBA team because a visa could not be transferred.

Indiana wanted the 26-year-old Israeli shooting guard after his impressive start in Dallas, which included 19 points and 9 assists against the Pacers in Indianapolis on October 18.

This is part of a general practice of denying Israelis visas to come to America, especially if they serve or have served in the IDF. So because of this 'special treatment' the Pacers won't get the player they wanted, and Mekel's career gets stalled.

Yes, special rules for Israel and Israelis since President Obama and his friends came to town..

Does any one want to bet that the visa would have been extended if Mekel was African and came from Nigeria or Ghana?

(h/t, Carl)