FIFA faces pressure due to an explosive application in Gaza.
There's a commotion brewing at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, and it's all thanks to a motion spanning twelve pages. The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) is advocating for penalties against Israel amidst the ongoing Gaza conflict. Behind the scenes, a diplomatic solution is being pursued ahead of the assembly of FIFA's 211 member associations on Friday.
The allegations megaphone: The PFA deems Israel in violation of international law, especially in Gaza, and implicates the Israeli association in complicity due to FIFA's official human rights code. The soccer infrastructures in Gaza have been obliterated or severely damaged, resulting in the deaths of soccer players and referees. While these accusations cannot be independently verified, Israeli attacks have led to massive destruction in Gaza over the past seven months.
The PFA receives support: Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Yemen are among those publicly endorsing the PFA's request for sanctions. The call to action could lead to banning both the association and Israel's teams.
Israel reacts: Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz dismissed the PFA's chairman, Jibril Radzhub, as a "terrorist in a suit" who has openly endorsed the crimes of Hamas. The association could retaliate with a suspension by FIFA in any manner it sees fit. Reports from the Israeli website "One" indicate that the Israeli association is arranging talks in Bangkok to avert a vote on the Palestinian application.
The congress proceedings: normally, the agenda consists of discussing proposals from member associations, but a vote is unplanned. FIFA confirms that the Palestinian association can present their case. According to DW, the matter could be transferred to the FIFA Council, and Germany's representative in that body is DFB President Bernd Neuendorf.
German stance: when questioned, the DFB cites Neuendorf's statement following the Hamas massacre in October last year. "In this trying situation, German soccer stands by our Israeli friends and partners," and this sentiment remains unchanged.
Support from other countries: the Israeli side intends to discuss the situation in an unofficial capacity at the congress. Makkabi Germany, a Jewish sports association, has outwardly rejected the PFA's proposal. Maccabi President Alon Meyer told the German Press Agency, "This is part of a global effort to isolate Israel, and it should be firmly opposed." He also expects international backing from the DFB. With UEFA, Israel is a member organization, not one belonging to the Asian organization.
History of the soccer conflict: in 2013-2017, FIFA deliberated on the soccer conflict without resolving it. Radschub, the head of the Palestinian association, often suggested consequences for Israel due to West Bank clubs. In 2018, FIFA banned Radschub for a year because he advocated for Messi's jerseys and posters to be burned if the star played an Argentina match in Jerusalem. The match was cancelled as a consequence.
The soccer struggle persists: despite a lack of consequences from the Bangkok congress, the conflict's likely to continue to dominate international soccer. It's likely that some associations may refuse to play against Israel. Israel's men's national team has qualified for the Olympics in Paris.
Political context: the war in Gaza erupted when Hamas and other militant groups, as well as terrorists, conducted a massacre on October 7, targeting Israelis and taking over 250 hostages. 35,000 Palestinian civilians have reportedly been killed (a near-impossible figure to verify independently), with a significant proportion being civilians and not combatants. The high civilian toll and humanitarian crisis for Palestinian civilians have sparked intense international outcry over Israel's actions.
And thus, the soccer conflict persists. Even if the PFA's request comes to naught, the issue promises to continue captivating the world of football. Many associations are likely to decline playing against Israel, notes the PFA. Israel's men's national team has earned a spot in the Olympics set to be held in Paris.
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The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has called on FIFA to impose sanctions on Israel due to their alleged violations of international law in the Gaza Strip. This comes as the Israeli soccer infrastructures have been severely damaged, leading to the deaths of soccer players and referees.
Amidst this tension, reports suggest that Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has labeled PFA chairman Jibril Radzhub as a "terrorist in a suit," while Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Yemen are among those backing the PFA's request for sanctions against Israel.
Source: www.ntv.de
