Palestinian FA Urges Ban on Israeli Football Association Over FIFA Discrimination Report

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has urged for the expulsion of the Israeli Football Association (IFA) from all international institutions after a recent FIFA report revealed multiple breaches of its anti-discrimination obligations.

PFA chief Jibril Rajoub stated during a news conference in the occupied West Bank city of el-Bireh that the IFA's actions, including alleged racist behavior and criminal activities by some officials, justify a ban.

The FIFA report fined the IFA 150,000 Swiss francs ($190,700) for the breaches, which Rajoub described as a significant but insufficient penalty.

Rajoub cited several reasons for the proposed ban, including the IFA's 'racist nature', alleged criminal activity by some Israeli sports officials, and the inclusion of football clubs from Israeli West Bank settlements in the Israeli federation.

The report highlighted the IFA's failure to address 'persistent and well-documented racist behaviour' by Beitar Jerusalem, which Rajoub described as an extreme example of racism, fascism, and discrimination prevalent in Israeli football.

Rajoub also mentioned instances of players killed during the conflict in Gaza and the destruction of sports facilities, stating that 1,007 athletes and coaches were killed and 265 sports facilities damaged since the war started in October 2023.

At least five football clubs based in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are members of the IFA, which is part of UEFA, European football's governing body.