FIFA delays decision on Palestinian request to ban Israel amid Gaza war
AL JAZEERA – Football’s world governing body FIFA has said it will seek legal advice before convening in July to decide on a Palestinian proposal to suspend Israel from international matches.
On Friday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the plan at the organisation’s annual congress in Bangkok, Thailand, after the Palestine Football Association (PFA) presented arguments accusing the Israel Football Association (IFA) of violating FIFA statutes with its war on Gaza and its inclusion of teams located in Palestinian territory in its domestic league.
“I ask you to stand on the right side of history … If not now, when?” said PFA President Jibril Rajoub, speaking before delegates from 211 member associations. “FIFA cannot afford to remain indifferent to these violations or the ongoing genocide in Palestine.”
Infantino said FIFA “will mandate as of now, independent legal expertise to analyse the three requests [from the PFA] and ensure the statutes of FIFA are applied in the right way”, with an extraordinary council meeting scheduled to be held by July 25.
The PFA is calling for “appropriate sanctions, with immediate effect, against Israeli teams,” according to FIFA documents released a month before the congress and council meetings in Bangkok.
The motion noted “international law violations committed by the Israeli occupation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza” and cited FIFA’s statutory commitments on human rights and against discrimination.
The PFA wrote that “all the football infrastructure in Gaza has been either destroyed, or seriously damaged, including the historic stadium of al-Yarmouk” and said it had support for the motion from the federations of Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Yemen.
Rajoub said “the Palestinian people, including the Palestinian football family, are enduring an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe”.
AFC backing
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had given its backing to Palestine’s proposal during the 34th AFC congress in Bangkok on Thursday.
AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa voiced his support for the Palestine Football Association’s motion, saying: “The AFC is only as strong as its members and when one suffers, all its other members are affected.”
“The AFC stands together with the Palestine FA, and we join them in seeking effective football-related solutions to the grievances raised by the Palestine FA in their proposal.
“It is our duty to support the Palestine FA for a swift and effective resolution in line with the rules, regulations and statutes of the AFC and FIFA.”