By Andrew Warshaw
December 1 – The head of Palestinian football has gone back on the offensive against Israel, calling on FIFA to issue sanctions following last week’s raid on the West Bank offices of the Palestinian federation.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who is endeavouring to bring about a lasting mediation between the two sides, has already stated his regret at the incident but Jibril Rajoub says that doesn’t go far enough.
Rajoub says FIFA should issue a “red card” to Israel as Palestine was named team of the year at the Asian Football Confederation 60th awards celebrations in Manila following their victory in this year’s AFC Challenge Cup.
“I think it’s time to take sanctions. What happened last week had no precedence in the history of sport,” Rajoub told journalists. “I don’t think the Israelis have the right to enjoy the status and at the same time deprive others… It is time now to take sanctions and to raise the red card.”
The two parties are due to be brought together on the fringes of this month’s FIFA executive committee meeting in Marrakesh but any rapprochement seems further away than ever.
The AFC earlier also denounced Israel’s raid, with its president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa calling the action “intolerable and unacceptable”.
Rajoub said three armored cars drew up outside the Palestinian FA offices, where he said Israeli forces confronted staff and checked documents before leaving about 40 minutes later. He said the monitor appointed by Blatter in the dispute was in the region and was aware of what happened.
The next worry, says Rajoub, is whether travel restrictions will prevent Palestine from sending a full-strength team to January’s Asian Cup in Australia, their first major tournament.
“I’m sure that some of them will not (be allowed to travel),” he said. “I hope we can take everybody but in spite of that we have no other choice. We have determination and we will continue no matter whether the Israelis will allow everyone to come.”
The Palestinians gained entry to the Asian Cup, the continent’s top international competition, by winning the AFC Challenge Cup in the Maldives in May. But even then, said Rajoub, Israel blocked the departure of six players.
“I don’t wish the suffering of the Palestine Footballers, or the Israeli footballers. I want the game to be a good tool to build a bridge rather than to build hatred. What we are facing I think is catastrophic.”
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