Palestine Football Association chief criticizes Israeli counterpart at FIFA Congress

FIFA Congress in Canada Ends with Tense Moment Between Palestinian and Israeli Representatives

Representatives from Palestine and Israel attended a heated moment at the 76th FIFA Congress in Canada on Thursday. The incident occurred when Palestinian Football Federation President Jibril Rajoub refused to stand alongside Israel FA Vice-President Basim Sheikh Suliman, a Palestinian citizen of Israel.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino called both men to the stand, but Rajoub declined to be brought closer to Suliman. Infantino attempted to invite Rajoub to shake hands with Suliman, but he was unsuccessful.

According to Palestinian Football Association Vice President Susan Shalabi, who witnessed the incident, Rajoub refused to shake hands with Suliman due to concerns about Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank settlements. Shalabi stated that Infantino’s attempt to have them shake hands showed little consideration for Rajoub’s speech, which made a plea for Israeli clubs not to base teams in the West Bank settlements.

The Palestinian Football Association had previously appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA’s decision not to sanction Israel over clubs based in West Bank settlements. The PFA argued that such clubs should not compete in leagues run by the Israel Football Association, citing concerns about the rights of member associations being violated.

In a statement after the congress ended, Shalabi expressed her disappointment with Infantino’s handling of the situation, stating that it was “absurd” to try to resolve the issue without addressing the underlying concerns.

Source: Al Jazeera