By Andrew Warshaw
March 30 – Palestine has formally submitted a resolution to the FIFA Congress in May demanding the suspension of Israel, a blow to FIFA president Sepp Blatter in his efforts over two years to forge a lasting mediation between the two sides.
Palestine FA (PFA) president Jibril Rajoub, who has long been calling for sanctions, stepped up his campaign a few months ago following a raid on the West Bank offices of his federation. “Such actions are not only a blow for the international football community but it also puts the whole process at risk,” Blatter said at the time.
Delegates of both sides are understood to have subsequently met mediating FIFA executives but it would appear not enough progress has been made. Palestine, who became FIFA members in 1998, were due to call for Israel’s explusion at last year’s FIFA Congress but were persuaded against doing so to allow a FIFA Task Force to complete its work.
But with no significant breakthrough in allowing free movement of Palestinian players and equipment in and out of the region, Rajoub has now run out of patience and has put forward a formal proposal that will need a two-thirds majority to pass.
The resolution calls for the suspension of Israel until:
1, Players, staff and officials can move freely into, out of and within Palestine;
2, Football equipment can be imported without hindrance;
3, Football facilities can be developed in Palestine without hindrance;
4, Clubs established in the illegal settlements in the West Bank are banned from playing in Israel Football Association competitions; and
5, The IFA takes firm action to eliminate racist and apartheid practices from its own leagues
“These conditions address long-standing grievances,” said a PFA statement. “The PFA has supported initiatives by FIFA over the last almost two years to address them. Regrettably, the PFA’s attempts to work with the FIFA Task Force have been undermined by Israel and have come to naught. As a result, strong pressure in the form of suspension of the IFA is needed to help bring about the necessary change.”
One difficulty in the negotiations that Israel is a member of UEFA while Palestine is part of the Asian Football Confederation. According to unconfirmed reports, UEFA President Michel Platini has urged former Israeli Football Association chief Avi Luzon, a member of the UEFA executive committee, to avert the possibility of a global sanctions at all costs. “This time it is serious,” Platini is alleged to have warned Luzon.
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