By Andrew Warshaw
April 6 – An Israeli-based media watchdog is back on the offensive over the sensitive issue of Israel’s treatment of Palestinian players and officials in the occupied territories, once again condemning Palestine Football Association president JIbril Rajoub (pictured) for trying to get Israel sanctioned and possibly thrown out of FIFA.
Palestinian Media Watch, a non-governmental organisation that documents cases of alleged incitement in Palestinian media, has written to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and disciplinary committee chief Claudio Sulser accusing Rajoub of “supporting and glorifying terrorism” and “inciting hatred and violence.”
With FIFA’s mediation efforts in the region reportedly supporting the Palestinian case that Israel is violating FIFA statutes and likely to come to a head at the FIFA Congress next month, PMW are at pains to defend Israel’s position even though independent human rights organisations have joined in criticising Israeli clubs for playing in the occupied territories.
PMW argues that the PFA and its leader are the ones who are “in serious and grave breach” of the FIFA Statutes and Disciplinary Code.
In their correspondence, the body says it has gathered “extensive proof of these breaches” and has submitted an official complaint to the Disciplinary Committee.
The detailed complaint includes the accusation that every year the PFA supervises the ‘Prince of Martyrs Abu Jihad Football Tournament’, named after the late Palestinian leader who Israel viewed as a terrorist.
“By the Palestinian Authority’s own calculations, Abu Jihad was responsible for the murder of 125 people in numerous terror attacks he planned, which include a 1978 bus hijacking in which 25 adults and 12 children were murdered,” PMW claims in its correspondence to FIFA.
Should the complaint, which PMW says is based predominantly on interviews given by Rajoub to official PA television and in news articles, be found to be justified, Rajoub would be in breach of a series of FIFA statutes and could theoretically himself be suspended.
“Considering the severe nature of the PFA and of Mr. Rajoub’s infringements, the Disciplinary Committee is requested to open proceedings against the PFA and Mr. Rajoub, and, where found necessary, implement disciplinary action without delay,” says PMW’s letter.
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