Palestine calls for Israel to be suspended as the Gaza war spills over into football

The war in Gaza came to the fore at world football’s biggest gathering on Friday, as the Palestinian federation called for Israel’s immediate expulsion from FIFA.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino told the congress in Bangkok that the sport’s global governing body would seek independent legal advice to consider the Palestinian claim.

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) and its supporters had hoped there would be an immediate vote on a possible ban, supported by the Asian Football Confederation, of which he is a member.

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Israel described the ban call as “cynical.”

But Infantino said: “FIFA will, from now on, commission an independent legal opinion to assess the three applications from the Palestinian Football Association and ensure that FIFA’s status and regulations are correctly applied.”

“Due to the urgency of the situation, an extraordinary FIFA Council will be convened before July 20 this year to review the results of the assessment and take the appropriate decisions.”

PFA leader Jibril Rajoub took the stage in the Thai capital a few minutes earlier and called for Israel’s “immediate” suspension.

He said the Israel Football Association (IFA) had violated FIFA rules and said: “FIFA cannot afford to remain indifferent to these violations or the ongoing genocide in Palestine.”

Rajoub’s demand came after the PFA said in March it would take the matter to Congress.

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The PFA has expressed dissatisfaction over some specific incidents, including a case in which Israeli media footage showed dozens of stripped Palestinians, including children, being held at the Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza City in December 2023.

The PFA also called on FIFA in March to “address the inclusion of football teams located on the territory of another association, namely Palestine, into its national association.”

At least five football clubs based in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are members of the Israel Football Association.

The settlements are illegal under international law.

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Jordan’s representative supported the Palestinian demand and called for an immediate vote in Congress, a call rejected by Infantino, who said the matter must be addressed by the FIFA Council – their regular decision-making body.

When it was the Israeli association chief’s turn to take the stage and speak, the Iranian and Iraqi delegates left the hall.

IFA chief Shino Moshe Zuares said Palestinian calls for a ban were “cynical.”

“Once again we are faced with a cynical, political and hostile attempt by the Palestinian federation to harm Israeli football,” he said.

“IFA has never broken any rule set by FIFA or UEFA and will not do so in the future.”

Israel is part of UEFA, the European football association.

The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

According to the Health Ministry, at least 35,233 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel’s military retaliation in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

FIFA has previously taken action against member states over their governments’ actions, banning Russian teams from international competitions after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

UEFA has banned Russian clubs from its tournaments.