It proved to be the best contest on show after woeful West Ham were floored by Bolton's brilliance in a onesided opening period which would have been stopped if held in a boxing ring.
"I love it when my players have a go at each other like that as long as they don't go too far," said the England managerial candidate.
"You always have confrontations in the dressing-room - there is a little bit of pushing and shoving week in, week out.
"It is very healthy at a football club that you see that sort of thing - other people outside wouldn't understand, and I am not going to try to explain. I am not going to explain how this industry works."
The Nigerian and the Israeli had to be separated by referee Mike Dean after the centre-back had sloppily given away the ball and reacted angrily to the midfielder's criticism.
Afterwards Allardyce was in Okocha's corner.
"I was quick to tell Ben Haim to shut up," he said. "He made the mistake. If you make a mistake you must be told.
"It is like when you do something well and get a pat on the back. You accept that when it comes around.
"It doesn't matter what the score is - you let the opposition get a goal and it can change a game and they can put you under pressure."
"It was handbags at five paces," Allardyce said. "Tal should have a little more respect for a senior player when he goes over to him, but he does tend to get little mouthy at times.
"Hopefully, he'll learn from it and take it on the chin."