Palestinian Football Authority (PFA) has been defiant. They are calling for the removal of the Israeli Football Association (IFA) from all international football bodies following the release of a document disclosing systemic discrimination in the IFA. This appeal comes with the backdrop of Gaza being bombarded in the last several weeks that has reportedly killed dozens of athletes and coaches.
Jibril Rajoub, head of the PFA and secretary-general of President Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah party’s central committee, hit back hard. Specifically, he highlighted the urgent need for action to combat the IFA. He cited the deaths of 1,007 athletes and coaches in Gaza since the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023. Moreover, he pointed out that 265 sports facilities have been destroyed or damaged so far during this war.
Rajoub attributes the call for a ban to the “racist nature” of the IFA. He further cites allegations of criminal misconduct by some Israeli sports officials. His most alarming point foreshadowed a deeper concern—at least five clubs from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are affiliated with the IFA. Yet it is this very scenario that worries him most.
“We maintain our right and continue our efforts to ensure that the Israeli Football Association is expelled from all international institutions,” – Jibril Rajoub.
Rajoub specifically criticized Beitar Jerusalem, labeling it “an extreme example of racism, fascism, and discrimination.” His comments highlight an even deeper issue about the place of sports as a tool to support societal division and discrimination.
The sport’s global governing body, FIFA, has acted by imposing a fine of 150,000 Swiss francs on the IFA. This figure, just under $190,700, was assessed for multiple violations. Yet even with these steps forward, Rajoub argues that tougher action must be taken to confront the systemic discrimination at play in Israeli football.
Israel is the only non-European member of UEFA, the European football governing body. A FIFA ban on the Israeli football institutions would raise the stakes in the sports and political arenas considerably. The PFA’s call for action reflects ongoing frustrations over the treatment of Palestinian athletes and the impact of conflict on sports in the region.
