By Andrew Warshaw
August 27 – FIFA have kickstarted their latest attempt finally forge a workable compromise in the Middle East that satisfies both Palestinians and Israelis.
A new monitoring committee under the chairmanship of veteran South African human rights icon Tokyo Sexwale was set up at the FIFA congress in May after the Palestinian football association dramatically withdrew its proposal at the 11th hour for Israel to be banned for breaking FIFA statutes over free movement of players and officials.
Israel says it has to impose restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza for security reasons but even the slightest rapproachment represents progress and both sides sat round the table this week, with the PFA led by its firebrand leader Jibril Rajoub and Israel by its FA president Ofer Eini. FIFA president Sepp Blatter also attended the meeting chaired by Sexwale. (Pictured left to right: Blatter, Eini, Sexwale and Rajoub).
A FIFA statement said the meeting “discussed details related to its mandate and clarified its composition”, which will also include legal officials on both sides plus representatives from CONCACAF, CONMEBOL or the OFC “to be designated shortly.”
Sexwale acknowledged afterwards that “this not an easy task” but represented “an important first step towards the consolidation of a regular exchange between the football associations of Israel and Palestine.”
“I’m feeling confident after seeing the team spirit today, as both associations have confirmed their intention to promote dialogue,” said the esteemed South African who is rumoured to have been encouraged to run for the FIFA presidency.
“As we have witnessed in my home country South Africa, I’m convinced that here too we’ll bring people together through the power of sport.”
The next meeting of the full committee will take place next month in an as-yet-unspecified venue in the Middle East.
Despite several attempts at a solution to a problem that has been a constant thorn in FIFA’s side and which Blatter is determined to tackle before he steps down in February, talks have invariably broken down because the respective entrenched positions of the two parties.
Hence the two associations couched their responses to the landmark meeting in diplomatic language.
“I’m very happy to start the process towards finding solutions,” said Rajoub while Eini addedd: “I believe that we will be able to develop a dynamic of cooperation. Both Mr Rajoub and I want fair conditions for our footballers.”
For his part, Blatter commented: “This is a new era, there is a different feeling in the room with the two associations talking to each other. There was a clear consensus at the congress that a solution should be found. FIFA will continue its tireless efforts to bring both member associations together to reach a solution for the benefit of football in the region.”
Earlier this month hopes that an on-going solution would be possible when the two-legged Palestinian Cup final between Al-Ahly, the top team in the West Bank, and Gaza’s champion Shejaia, was played after the Gazan team successfully crossed the Eretz border crossing into the West Bank. A team from Gaza had not made the crossing into the occupied West Bank since 2007.
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