The Israel Football Association (IFA) has responded allegation of discrimination and the proposed suspension of its team from the Palestinian Football Association (PFA).
World football’s governing body FIFA last week launched an investigation into allegations of discrimination against the IFA. FIFA leaders made the decision when they ruled against suspending Israel from international play after the PFA proposed suspending Israel amid the war and humanitarian crisis. in gaza earlier this year.
In a statement given to Fox News Digital by IFA head of communications Shlomi Barzel over the weekend, the IFA condemned the PFA for FIFA’s recent proposal.
“Anyone who imagined suspending or banning Israeli football from the international arena through lies and false accusations has suffered defeat,” the statement said. “Again, we have acted in a calculated and proactive manner across various channels time and again to meet the challenge of the Palestinian Association and its leader distorting reality, and there is no room for doubt in the outcome today.
“We respect the authors of the report submitted to Council members and the decision of Council members to consider transferring the two issues for legal investigation, as long as there is a factual justification for it. Thank you for those values “Representing a proud democracy and an independent and firm legal system of football association, we have never and will never breach FIFA/UEFA regulations.”
The PFA did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
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Israeli players are seen before the start of the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier play-off semi-final football match Israel vs Iceland at the Szucza Ferenc Stadium in Budapest, Hungary on March 21, 2024. (Attila Kisbenedek/AFP)
The PFA’s original proposal claimed that at least 92 non-professional Palestinian players have been killed in the war, football infrastructure has been destroyed, its leagues have been suspended and its national team has been banned from playing abroad in world tournaments. Need to play cup qualifiers. The Palestinian federation wanted FIFA to impose appropriate sanctions against Israeli teams, including the national side and clubs.
Katarina Pijetlovic, head of the PFA’s legal department, addressed FIFA’s decision not to suspend Israel post on x On 3 October.
He wrote in a post on Allowed.” Is completely political. Will we wait 2 years again like in 2015-17, when the committee will make clear suggestions and then why won’t they say: Israel has the freedom to destroy FIFA member associations? Use your colonized areas.”
Palestinian protesters wave Palestinian flags and some extend their weapons during the men’s Group D football match between Israel and Paraguay during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Parc des Princes in Paris on July 27, 2024. (Geoffroy van der Hasselt/AFP via Getty Images)
Gaza-based football journalist Abubakar Abed first told Al Jazeera The Palestinian Association “acts as a form of resistance” and alleged that more than 50 Palestinian sports facilities have been destroyed.
“The people of Palestine know that this team acts as a form of resistance and is sending a message to the world,” Gaza-Abed said. “More than 50 sports facilities in Gaza have been reduced to rubble, including nine out of 10 stadiums in Gaza. Nearly every club has been destroyed in the war, while a stadium in Deir al-Balah has been destroyed by thousands of people.” It has been converted into a shelter.” Displaced people.”
FIFA’s disciplinary committee will now be asked to investigate allegations of discrimination. PFA specifically IFA accused Complicity by the Israeli government in violations of international law, discriminating against Arab players and including clubs based in Palestinian territory in its league.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will be mandated to open an investigation into the alleged crime of discrimination raised by the Palestine Football Association,” FIFA said. one in statement“FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee will reportedly be tasked with the mission of investigating the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams based in the territory of Palestine.”
The PFA’s suspension proposal was enough to convince FIFA to demand an independent legal council and hold a historic council meeting to decide whether to suspend Israel from international football due to the conflict with Hamas. It was, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the FIFA Congress. In May.
However, at this time it does not appear that any suspension will be imposed on Israel. The suspension could seriously impact his hopes of competing at the 2026 World Cup, which will be played in North America. The final will be played in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from New York City.
In the past countries have been banned from competing in the World Cup based on the actions of their governments and national team administrations.
Germany and Japan were banned from the 1950 World Cup after the end of World War II. South Africa were banned from 1966 to 1992 for violating FIFA’s anti-discrimination charter due to apartheid. Mexico was banned for two years after using overage players in qualifiers for the 1989 World Youth Championship.
Israel has qualified for the World Cup only once, in 1970, and failed to get out of the group stage. Israel won the championship at the 1964 Asian Games. However, they were transferred from the Asian Football Federation to the European Confederation. uefa In 1994, where he struggled to compete. The team suffered its most lopsided defeat in its history in a 7–1 defeat to Germany in 2002.
Israel is currently in the middle of its UEFA Nations League schedule. After an 0-2 start, it plays France on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Palestine are currently in the middle of group play for the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. It will play Iraq on Thursday after starting group play with a loss and a draw. Palestine has never qualified for the World Cup.
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Fans wave Palestinian flags during the men’s Group D match between Mali and Israel during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Parc des Princes Stadium on July 24, 2024 in Paris, France. (Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Monday marks the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel that killed 1,195 people, including 815 civilians, and resulted in 251 hostages. At least 31 Americans were killed and 13 others were missing during the attacks.
On 15 August, at least 40,005 Palestinians were reported killed in Gaza since the war began. Gaza’s health ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but says at least 5,956 women and at least 10,627 children have been killed.
One year after the attack, Hamas marks anniversary the Blitz Rockets were fired into Tel Aviv on Monday.
Israel’s war in Gaza continues, while Israel is now waging a new war against Hezbollah, which has stepped up its bombing campaign in Lebanon over the past three weeks. Last week Israel faced additional attacks in the form of missile attacks from Iran, which supports both Hamas and Hezbollah.
The attacks forced nearly 10 million people to seek safety in bomb shelters on Tuesday, and even forced a pair of Israeli women’s basketball teams leave their game and run for shelter, according to the Jerusalem Times.
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