The Israeli bobsled team competing in their first-ever Winter Olympics at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games has reported a devastating robbery that stripped them of passports, thousands of dollars in equipment, and personal belongings just days before their historic debut.
According to team captain AJ Edelman, the theft occurred at their team apartment, leaving the athletes scrambling to recover essential documents and gear needed for competition. The timing couldn't be more suspicious - or more devastating for a team making Olympic history as Israel's first bobsled competitors.
Social media users are already raising red flags about the incident's convenient timing and potential security implications. Twitter user @nicole_chenelle posted a thread suggesting the robbery could "facilitate the replacement of said items in an expedited manner that wouldn't be subject to the same level of screening" and provide "plausible deniability for an event that has yet to occur."
Anti-Israel Sentiment Surfaces
The incident has also exposed the ugly face of anti-Semitism online, with some social media accounts mocking the situation. One user callously claimed the team "was left with nothing but antisemitism," highlighting the broader hostility Israel faces on the international stage.
Another account shared details of the theft, noting that "passports, technical equipment worth thousands" were among the stolen items, leaving the team in a precarious situation just as they prepare for their Olympic moment.
"This isn't just a robbery - it's an attack on Israel's Olympic dreams and raises serious questions about security protocols for visiting teams," one observer noted.
The theft comes at a time when Israeli athletes and teams face increased scrutiny and hostility at international events. With the Milano Cortina Games already underway, the question remains: how did security fail so spectacularly, and why now?
Patriots should be asking whether this was really just a random crime of opportunity - or something far more sinister targeting one of America's strongest allies on the world stage.