Palestinians demand Israel’s expulsion from FIFA

His comments come at a time when sport and politics are more intertwined than ever in the Palestinian territories, with attention focused on efforts led by the Palestinian sports leadership within the structures of world football’s umbrella body FIFA to hold Israel accountable for systematic violations against Palestinians, infrastructure and the right to play sport.

“We are not fighting a public relations battle or making political statements,” Rajoub told Anadolu in an exclusive interview, adding:

“We are waging a fight based on clear legal records, and if they are handled in accordance with laws and regulations without double standards, they are sufficient to impose sanctions on the Israeli federation, including suspension or expulsion.”
Rajoub said the Palestinian effort is based on three main files.

“The first relates to the presence of Israeli clubs operating in illegal settlements built on occupied Palestinian land, which is a clear violation of FIFA regulations that prohibit any association from organizing competitions outside its recognized geographical framework,” he said and stated:

“The second file refers to the support and justification of attacks on civilians and infrastructure by Israeli sports figures, which is contrary to the basic values ​​of the global sports movement, which calls for the rejection of violence and the promotion of peace. The third file refers to the policies of the occupation that have targeted Palestinian sports, through the destruction of facilities, the killing of players and strict restrictions on movement that make the organization of any normal sports activity almost impossible.”

Rajoub said that these issues have been on FIFA’s agenda for years, adding that these files have remained within the commissions without resolution.

“However, we have started to see a gradual change in the way they are being dealt with, even if slowly,” he added.

He pointed to a recent decision acknowledging the existence of systemic racism within the Israeli federation.

“Although the measures were limited, they represent an important official recognition, and we will build on that in the next phase,” he said.

Speaking about his participation in international meetings, Rajoub recalled the incident that caused widespread reactions when he refused to shake hands with the president of the Israeli federation during the FIFA congress, stressing that it was not a personal gesture but a political and moral stance.

“The refusal to shake hands was not a passing protocol act but an attitude that reflects the belief that sports normalization with those who justify attacks on civilians and infrastructure is unacceptable under any circumstances,” he said.

Rajoub said that the representative of the Israeli federation, when he speaks, seems to ignore the reality on the ground.

“It’s as if we’re dealing with a discourse completely separate from everyday violations, and that makes any normal interaction impossible,” he added.

This position, as he claims, met with a positive response.

“It was clear that there was some isolation around the Israeli representative in some quarters, which reflects a gradual change in the international mood, even if this has not yet translated into decisive decisions,” he said.

Rajoub emphasized that the main problem is double standards.

“There cannot be strict standards in other international issues, and different standards when it comes to Palestine. We are not asking for special treatment, but for laws to apply equally to everyone without exception,” he added.

On the ground, Rajoub said the situation is not bright, adding that there is almost complete destruction of the sports infrastructure, where most facilities are destroyed or disabled for use.

The Israeli military has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and wounded over 172,000 in its deadly assault on Gaza since October 2023. The offensive has also caused massive destruction, affecting 90 percent of civilian infrastructure.

In the West Bank, more than 1,100 Palestinians were killed and about 12,000 others wounded in attacks by the Israeli army and occupation forces during the same period, according to Palestinian figures.

“In the West Bank, movement is severely restricted and we cannot organize tournaments normally, or even ensure the movement of players between cities,” said Rajoub.

Despite these challenges, he emphasized attempts to revive sports activities in the Palestinian territories.

“We are working with very limited resources and may have to resort to borrowing to restart some programs, because we believe that sport is part of social resilience. Sport has become a unifying space for all Palestinians and a common national identity, beyond division,” he concluded, reports Anadolia.

(Vijesti.ba)