Calls for action against Israel in international football because of the conflict with Hamas will be stepped up by Palestinian officials at the annual FIFA congress next month.
The Palestine Football Association proposal to 211 member federations in Thailand calls for “appropriate sanctions, with immediate effect, against Israeli teams,” according to FIFA documents released late Wednesday, one month before the May 17 meeting.
The motion notes “international law violations committed by the Israeli occupation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza” and cites FIFA statutory commitments on human rights and against discrimination.
“All the football infrastructure in Gaza has been either destroyed, or seriously damaged, including the historic stadium of Al-Yarmuk,” the Palestine FA wrote, claiming support for the congress motion from the federations of Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Yemen.
The latest call to punish Israel soccer will not be supported by FIFA and is unlikely to make progress because Israel can expect global backing including from the 55-member European soccer body UEFA it joined 30 years ago, The Associated Press reported. A cooperation deal also was signed last week between Israeli officials and the South American soccer body CONMEBOL.
Palestinian soccer cites the example of Russian teams being banned from international competitions by FIFA and UEFA during the military invasion of Ukraine that started in February 2022.
Russia’s exclusion was supported by FIFA because several UEFA members refused to play games against Russian opponents. They included all three men’s national teams – Poland, Sweden, Czech Republic – who were in a qualifying playoffs bracket in March 2022 for the men’s World Cup that year. Russia did not play and Poland advanced to the tournament in Qatar.
Russian officials continue to take part in international soccer meetings, including the executive committee of UEFA, and should have a delegation with FIFA in Bangkok next month.
Israeli national and club teams have continued to play in UEFA competitions since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, though home games were played in neutral Hungary and Cyprus for security reasons.
