More than 170 Palestinian football clubs and sports associations are urging FIFA to suspend the Israel Football Association because of its inclusion of Israeli teams based in settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Israel’s settlements are illegal under international law.

The Palestinian clubs made their appeal in a letter to member nations of the FIFA Council, world football’s decision-making body that will hold its congress in Bahrain on 11 May.

Israeli settlement clubs

The clubs urge FIFA to immediately suspend the Israel Football Association if it does not ban the settlement teams. FIFA rules bar national associations from holding matches on the territory of another member without permission.

Many governments and international bodies, including the International Criminal Court, consider the West Bank and Gaza Strip to be part of the territory of an occupied state of Palestine.

Human Rights Watch detailed in a recent report how FIFA and the Israel Football Association jointly profit from Israel’s illegal colonization of the West Bank and the settlement teams that play there.

“The harassment of Palestinian footballers, the deliberate obstruction of our right to movement in the occupied territory denying us the ability to attend training sessions and matches are well documented,” the clubs add. “In addition, Israel’s military has bombed Palestinian stadiums several times and prevents football spectators and fans from traveling to matches.”

Last month, more than one hundred sports associations, trade unions, human rights organizations and faith groups from 28 countries joined world footballers, scholars, cultural figures and politicians in making a similar demand.

FIFA appointed a special committee to look into the settlement issue two years ago, but there have been repeated delays in publishing its report and taking action.

Israeli pressure

There have been recent signs that FIFA officials are bending in the face of a major Israeli diplomatic counteroffensive aimed at staving off action at next week’s congress.

The Palestinian clubs express concern over reports that FIFA will again let Israel off the hook by giving it a six-month “warning period,” without specifying any consequences if the Israeli association fails to act in that time.

“FIFA’s persistent delays in making a decision on this matter give the impression that FIFA isn’t serious about the protection of our human rights, or respect for its statutes,” the Palestinian clubs state. “It shows that FIFA is putting politics ahead of human rights by giving Israel a free pass.”

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Comments

the problem is more fundamental

Permalink tom hall replied on Sun, 05/07/2017 - 15:48

Given the long list of violent, oppressive actions by the Israeli state against Palestinian football and the social nexus in which the game is played, why are we even talking about settlement teams? Israel should be booted out of FIFA for its wholesale crimes, not territorial infractions.

Will FIFA bend for apartheid?

Permalink Amin replied on Mon, 05/08/2017 - 14:10

Bending for pressure from apartheid state Israël is cowardly and very on sporty.
That would also means FIFA don't respect international law and even their own rules.
In that case, FIFA deserve a RED-card! from sportsworld and international society.

The failure of an

Permalink Zulkifal ahmed replied on Tue, 05/16/2017 - 11:44

The failure of an international sports entity to make a decision about its own members’ not honoring FIFA statutes once again reflects the tremendous political pressure that is constantly exerted by Israel on various world bodies to accept the Israeli narrative. The fact that Israeli settlements are illegal, which has been stated as such by the UN, the Security Council, and the International Criminal Court, doesn’t seem to have much effect.
Israel lobby pressurizes FIFA: Decision pending on Palestinian demands?
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