'I saw death': Arab bus drivers in Israel fear for their lives amid football fan violence

Drivers and labour representatives told Middle East Eye that they were seeing a recurring pattern in Jerusalem's Malha area, close to Beitar Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium, with chants and jeering regularly escalating into spitting, threats and beatings.

Majid Mabrouk, a senior representative of the drivers' union, said that the pattern had become so entrenched that workers dread working match days.

"What happens there is blatant racism against Arabs," he told MEE. 

"It starts with shouts of 'Death to Arabs!' and 'Go to Gaza!' and then it becomes spitting, insults and physical assault. It has become routine."

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