By Andrew Warshaw in Manama, Bahrain
May 1 – The head of Palestinian football insists his association will not give in to any pressure to withdraw its proposal calling for Israel to be thrown out of the sport at the FIFA Congress later this month. Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub says nothing has changed for the better in the West Bank and Gaza in terms of the free movement of players and equipment since a year ago when he was persuaded to drop a similar proposal.
“There has been no progress at all,” Rajoub told Insideworldfootball on the fringes of the Asian Football Confederation congress here. “There is no compromise. It’s time now to cross the bridge.
“We cannot keep suffering. The whole international community cannot tolerate the Israelis’ irrational policies towards the Palestinian sports family. The difference this time is that the proposal is on the Congress agenda and we will go for the vote despite all the pressure exerted against us.”
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has made resolving the Israel-Palestinian issue one of his major priorities and has been at pains to make his mediation efforts count ahead of the FIFA presidential election on May 29.
Rajoub met with Blatter here in Bahrain for another set of talks and the diplomatic initiative is due to be stepped up with both sides right up until the Congress in Zurich.
Blatter has already made it clear he is not in favour in throwing Israel out but Rajoub says he will not be talked into removing the Palestinian proposal.
“The key is how we can together to break this vicious cycle,” said Rajoub. “But my assessment is that in the next month progress will be zero so we are determined to press ahead. No-one in the world can force me to remove the proposal. It’s the third year this issue has come up but I can’t see a sudden miracle coming from the sky.”
Although Rajoub needs a three-quarter majority of FIFA’s 209 nations to succeed, he believes he will secure enough votes. “We are not asking for anything more than to develop the game. Either Israel abides by FIFA sanctions or it pays the price.
“I think Africa and Asia will vote for the proposal and even some in Europe even though Israel is a member of UEFA. Michel Platini sent us some equipment but it was held for 16 months and we had to pay $32,000 to release it. Europe is as fed up as everyone else.”
Rajoub refutes claims from Israeli supporters that he is anti-semitic and anti-peace and that he himself should be removed from office.
“I’m a president of a football association. Yes I was part of the national resistance and I’m proud of that. But I have never in the past supported, nor would in the present or future, attacking civilian targets.”
Nor does he accept Israel’s argument that any restrictions in place are there because of security concerns. “They are using it as an excuse. Enough is enough. Six million of the Palestinians are living under occupation. Suspension is still the solution until Israel changes the situation on the ground.”
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