Football Association of Ireland Calls for UEFA to Ban Israel from Competitions
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has overwhelmingly approved a motion urging UEFA to ban Israel from participating in European club and international competitions.
The motion, proposed by the Dublin-based League of Ireland club Bohemians, cited Israel's suspension for "violating two independent provisions of the UEFA statutes." The proposal received support from 74 delegates during an emergency general meeting held on Saturday, with seven votes against and two abstentions. It required more than 50% of delegates' approval to pass.
Background
The motion was co-signed by several clubs, including Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne, Cork City, the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland, along with various supporters' groups and student leagues. In a statement, Bohemians expressed pride in advancing the motion and thanked the delegates who voted in favor.
The "violations" referenced in the motion include the "organization of clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association" and a "failure to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy." In September, reports indicated that UEFA might consider a vote regarding Israel's suspension; however, this did not materialize, and the likelihood diminished following the announcement of the Israel-Hamas peace plan for Gaza in October.
Currently, Israel's national team is competing in European qualifiers for next summer's FIFA World Cup, while Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv is participating in the Europa League. Additionally, in September, the Turkish Football Federation called for Israel's ban from football, supported by a group of 48 athletes who signed a joint letter demanding the country's suspension. Nonetheless, Israel's participation in world football was not included on the agenda for a FIFA council meeting in Zurich in October.