Ons Jabeur under fire amid Israel-Palestine conflict; officials lodge formal complaint with WTA & ITF for her support of 'Free Palestine' movement

World No. 7 Ons Jabeur has come under the scanner with Israeli officials filing a complaint against her for her support of Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

For those who are unaware, Israel and Palestine have a long and controversial history, dating back to the late 19th and early 20th century. On October 7 Israel witnessed one of the bloodiest attacks ever by Palestinian militant group, Hamas, which killed at least 1700 people and also led to hostages being taken.

The situation in Israel has created a stark division in public opinion. Some have criticized the terrorist attack, while others have claimed that the country's actions in Palestine provoked this response. What's clear, however, is the tragic toll on innocent people, particularly children, who are suffering for no reason.

Ons Jabeur, like many others, has voiced her opinion on the topic. She posted in her Instagram story that violence will never bring peace, adding that Palestine should be free of all enmity.

"What Palestinians have been going through during the last 75 years is indescribable," Jabeur wrote. "What innocent civilians are going through is indescribable; no matter what their religion is, or what their origin is. Violence will never bring peace; I cannot stand with violence but I also cannot stand with people having their lands taken."

"So understanding context is important, looking at what's happening today and deciding to ignore recent history is irresponsible and won't bring peace. And peace is all we care about. Peace is what everyone needs and deserves. Stop the violence and #FreePalestine," she added.

In light of this, the Israel Tennis Association (ITA) issued a statement on their Facebook page on Friday (October 13), accusing Ons Jabeur of supporting a 'murderous terrorist organization.' Avi Peretz, the ITA's chairperson, also stated that a formal complaint has been filed against the two-time Wimbledon finalist to the WTA via the ITF.

"This tennis player incites and supports a murderous terrorist organization. We’re glad she’s in the minority compared to the sane athletes in the rest of the world. Because the player belongs to the WTA, they are the body responsible for handling the case. The association and the ITF are now waiting to see what measures they will take against her," the statement read.

ITA statement via Facebook

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A look into Ons Jabeur's performances during the 2023 Asian swing

Ons Jabeur pictured at the 2023 China Open

Ons Jabeur began her 2023 Asian swing campaign with a bang, winning the Ningbo Open title by defeating Diana Shnaider in the final. En route to the championship match, she beat Diane Parry, Tamara Korpatsch, Vera Zvonareva and Nadia Podoroska.

That was followed by a not-so-impressive performance at the China Open, a WTA 1000 tournament. Jabeur overcame Ashlyn Krueger in the first round, but was eliminated by Marta Kostyuk in the next.

The Tunisian then competed at the Zhengzhou Open, where she beat Lucia Bronzetti in the first round. However, after her victory, Jabeur consulted her medical team and opted to withdraw from her quarterfinal match against Daria Kasatkina.