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FIFA delays ruling on Palestinian bid to suspend Israel from international football

Friday, 19 July 2024 1:57 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 19 July 2024 11:05 PM ]

A leaflet reading "kick Israel out of FIFA" is displayed in support of Palestine amid Israel's genocidal war against the people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip. (File photo by Reuters)

World football governing body, FIFA, says it has delayed a decision on a Palestinian request to suspend Israel from international football over the regime’s war crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement on Friday, FIFA said an independent legal assessment of the Palestinian Football Association's proposals against the Israel Football Association was scheduled to be submitted to the FIFA Council by July 20, 2024.

"Following requests for an extension from both parties to submit their respective positions, duly granted by FIFA, more time is needed to conclude this process with due care and completeness," it added.

It noted that the assessment will be shared with the FIFA Council for any subsequent decision no later than August 31.

During FIFA’s 74th annual congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in May, the Palestine Football Association urged FIFA to suspend Israel over the regime’s genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub said Israel had committed multiple “systematic” violations of FIFA statutes and urged the congress to take a vote to suspend the Israel Football Association from all football activity and to respect the Palestinian territory.

On May 16, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) supported Palestine's proposal to suspend Israel from FIFA over the regime's criminal war in the Gaza Strip.

During the 34th AFC Congress, which concluded in Thailand's capital Bangkok, the regional body's president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa voiced his support for the motion by the Palestine Football Association (PFA).

Since 2014, the Palestinian football federation has raised the matter of suspending Israel at least five times, but calls have grown louder since October last year when the Israeli regime launched its fresh genocidal war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

At least 38,848 Palestinians have been killed in the past nine months, most of them children and women. Among the victims are more than 250 athletes, including footballers.