May 7 – The head of Israeli football has launched a pre-emptive strike, metaphorically speaking, to try and stop a Palestinian proposal to ban his federation from FIFA being supported at the FIFA Congress later this month.
Ofer Eini has written to all 209 FIFA member associations urging them to reject Palestine’s attempt to suspend the Israel Football Association because of restrictions on Palestinian players and equipment in the West Bank and Gaza.
Eini and his chief executive Rotem Kamer met FIFA president Sepp Blatter in Zurich yesterday in the latest in a series of talks to try and find a diplomatic solution that would halt the Palestinian proposal.
Jibril Rajoub, head of both the Palestine Football Association and the Palestinian Olympic Committee, insisted last week that he had run out of patience and would submit his resolution to congress demanding action.
For their part, the Israeli football authorities say they have worked hard to improve matters but possess no control or influence over the strategy of the government and security services.
Israel is a member of UEFA while Palestine is a member of the Asian Football Confederation which reiterated its support last week.
“The meeting with Sepp Blatter is very significant in our fight to cancel the possibility of a vote being held at the FIFA Congress in order to suspend Israel,” Eini told Reuters.
“We will not allow for Israel to be presented as a country which violated the agreements which it signed and we will do all in our power to prevent any kind of ban. I certainly expect the FIFA president to speak out loud and clear on this matter and to prevent this malicious move.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734850584labto1734850584ofdlr1734850584owedi1734850584sni@w1734850584ahsra1734850584w.wer1734850584dna1734850584