By Andrew Warshaw
April 7 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter is set to meet Palestinian football leader Jirbril Rajoub today to try and stave off a bid to suspend Israel from football’s world governing body.
The Palestine FA (PFA) said last week it would submit a formal proposal to the FIFA Congress at the end of May after losing patience with Israel’s intransigence over freedom of movement for Palestinian players and officials in the occupied territories.
“I am going to meet Blatter in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the draft resolution that we have requested – that either Israel honour its commitments or it will be suspended from membership of FIFA,” Rajoub said in a statement. “The meeting is at Blatter’s request.”
Despite efforts by Blatter over two years to ease tensions – he set up a task force to try and forge a breakthrough – the Palestinians say little progress has been made over restrictions imposed by Israel between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Blatter is due to address the Confederation of African Football Congress and is expected to meet Rajoub on the sidelines of that meeting.
He will hope to dissuade the PFA from submitting their proposal just as he did on the eve of last year’s FIFA Congress in Brazil. However Rajoub appears to have dug in his heels over the hampering of his federation’s activities even though it is a full FIFA member.
Suspension from FIFA would require a three-quarters majority of the 209 member associations. UEFA, whose membership comprises roughly a quarter of FIFA and includes Israel, would doubtless vote against and the Israelis say they are confident FIFA will not follow through on Palestine’s request.
For its part, Israel cites security concerns for imposing restrictions but nevertheless insists it has eased travel for Palestinian athletes. Recently, 41 runners from Gaza were allowed to participate in a marathon in the West Bank according to local reports.
The Israeli FA said in a statement that its new chairman, Ofer Eini, was “acting at all possible levels to ensure the standing of Israeli soccer is not harmed”.
“The Israeli FA believes that FIFA and Sepp Blatter at its helm, and the heads of the various federations and associations will not permit a move which seeks to mix sport and politics in a manner that is completely opposed to the principles of the organisation and the aims of the game,” the statement said.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1735856489labto1735856489ofdlr1735856489owedi1735856489sni@w1735856489ahsra1735856489w.wer1735856489dna1735856489
By Andrew Warshaw
April 6 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter is set to meet Palestinian football leader Jirbril Rajoub today to try and stave off a bid to suspend Israel from football’s world governing body.
The Palestine FA (PFA) said last week it would submit a formal proposal to the FIFA Congress at the end of May after losing patience with Israel’s intransigence over freedom of movement for Palestinian players and officials in the occupied territories.
“I am going to meet Blatter in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the draft resolution that we have requested – that either Israel honour its commitments or it will be suspended from membership of FIFA,” Rajoub said in a statement. “The meeting is at Blatter’s request.”
Despite efforts by Blatter over two years to ease tensions – he set up a task force to try and forge a breakthrough – the Palestinians say little progress has been made over restrictions imposed by Israel between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Blatter is due to address the Confederation of African Football Congress and is expected to meet Rajoub on the sidelines of that meeting.
He will hope to dissuade the PFA from submitting their proposal just as he did on the eve of last year’s FIFA Congress in Brazil. However Rajoub appears to have dug in his heels over the hampering of his federation’s activities even though it is a full FIFA member.
Suspension from FIFA would require a three-quarters majority of the 209 member associations. UEFA, whose membership comprises roughly a quarter of FIFA and includes Israel, would doubtless vote against and the Israelis say they are confident FIFA will not follow through on Palestine’s request.
For its part, Israel cites security concerns for imposing restrictions but nevertheless insists it has eased travel for Palestinian athletes. Recently, 41 runners from Gaza were allowed to participate in a marathon in the West Bank according to local reports.
The Israeli FA said in a statement that its new chairman, Ofer Eini, was “acting at all possible levels to ensure the standing of Israeli soccer is not harmed”.
“The Israeli FA believes that FIFA and Sepp Blatter at its helm, and the heads of the various federations and associations will not permit a move which seeks to mix sport and politics in a manner that is completely opposed to the principles of the organisation and the aims of the game,” the statement said.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1735856489labto1735856489ofdlr1735856489owedi1735856489sni@w1735856489ahsra1735856489w.wer1735856489dna1735856489