Call for Israel's Ban in Football Over Gaza War Violations

An independent legal analysis by experts in international law and human rights has called for Israel to be banned from football-related activities for violating FIFA's statutes amid the Gaza conflict. The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) submitted a proposal to suspend Israel in May, prompting FIFA to order an urgent legal evaluation and plan to address the issue at an extraordinary council meeting in July.

The Asian Football Confederation supports action against Israel, and PFA President Jibril Al-Rajoub states that FIFA cannot ignore the violations or the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Lawyer Max du Plessis and Sarah Pudifin-Jones co-wrote the report, commissioned by Eko, a social justice organization.

The report claims that Israel has undermined FIFA's objectives by violating Palestinian human rights and discriminating against them based on race and national origin. Eko's petition calling for Israel's ban from international sport has garnered over 380,000 signatures. While FIFA has previously avoided imposing sanctions on Israel, the report argues that recent developments necessitate FIFA's intervention.

(With inputs from agencies.)