Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub has called on FIFA to take action over the Israeli “crimes” against Palestinian sports, saying ongoing violations could ultimately lead to Israel’s expulsion from the global governing body.
In an interview with Anadolu, Rajoub said “the scale of crimes committed and being committed against Palestinian sports, athletes and sports facilities requires a position from FIFA and the continental federations under it.”
He stressed that the Palestinian move seeks “to hold the (Israeli) occupation accountable, leading to Israel’s expulsion from FIFA.”
The association chief said the move comes “within the framework of the rules and regulations in force in FIFA and the Olympic Charter, in an effort to expose the occupation’s practices for accountability.”
He added that the Palestinian association has raised the issue for years, “which includes clear violations,” pointing to “the presence of nine Israeli clubs operating in settlements built on the lands of the occupied Palestinian state, which the world recognises as occupied territories.”
“We have been speaking the language of laws, regulations and statutes, but Israeli behaviour has been characterised by arrogance and disregard for international institutions, and dealing with them with arrogance,” he said.
Rajoub also said the Israeli delegate “spoke within the General Assembly as if Israel were an ideal republic in democracy, pluralism, and the absence of discrimination, racism and occupation crimes,” at a time when “more than 200 member associations are aware of what is happening.”
Pressure, appeals and next steps
He added that such conduct “led to the Israeli delegate being isolated, humiliated and scorned within the General Assembly,” attributing this to “his conduct based on arrogance.”
“The Palestinian cause is a just cause, and it has been presented in a civilised manner and in a sporting spirit,” Rajoub said, adding that the latest FIFA meeting “constituted a strategic milestone in condemning this occupation and its behaviour.”
“We believe this is the beginning of a path that may lead to sanctions on this occupation, which has become besieged, rejected and shunned,” he added.
Regarding FIFA’s decision, Rajoub said the FIFA Council “took an incorrect decision due to pressure.”
“We are struggling through FIFA and in accordance with its laws, but these pressures affected the decision.
“We moved through the General Assembly and also turned to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to challenge this decision,” he said.
