Tel aviv: Football governing body FIFA, and European football ruling body UEFA, have been urged to suspend Israel from international football by a human rights charity.
According to Ghana News Agency, Amnesty International has highlighted that the presence of six teams from settlements in the West Bank in Israeli leagues violates international law and FIFA’s own rules.
The charity’s secretary general, Agnes Callamard, expressed concerns over the ongoing situation, stating that as Israel’s national football team prepares for World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Italy, the country continues actions against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. She emphasized that over 800 athletes, players, and sports officials are among the more than 65,000 people killed by Israeli forces, attributing this to a campaign involving devastation and displacement.
Callamard criticized Israel for expanding its settlements and legitimizing outposts in the West Bank, calling it part of an unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory. She condemned the Israeli Football Association for allowing clubs from these settlements to participate in its leagues despite warnings over the years. She urged FIFA and UEFA to fulfill their responsibilities under international law by suspending Israeli national teams and club sides until settlement clubs are banned.
There have been discussions within UEFA member associations about an extraordinary meeting to consider suspending Israel due to its actions in Gaza. However, no meeting has been scheduled yet, and there is a possibility of a peace deal being brokered by the United States.
FIFA’s vice-president, Victor Montagliani, stated that the decision regarding Israel is a matter for UEFA, as Israel is one of its member associations. Meanwhile, Israeli FA president Moshe Zuares, in an interview with Norwegian network TV2, argued that suspending Israel would not resolve the conflict, drawing parallels to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine despite Russia’s ban.