A group of United Nations experts calls for Israel’s exclusion from international football. In a joint statement, the eight independent members of the committee called on the World Association FIFA and the European Football Union UEFA to take appropriate steps. The sport should not give the impression that “everything goes his usual gear”, it said.
“National teams that represent states that commit massive human rights violations can and should be suspended,” wrote the experts who were deployed by the UN Human Rights Council, but do not speak in the name of the United Nations. According to the report of an independent investigation commission used by the UN, her statements were made, according to which “a genocide takes place in Gaza” and Israel was responsible for it. Israel rejects this accusation.
The experts emphasized that countries that organize international organizations and sporting events with Israel “must not remain neutral in view of the genocide”. They pointed out that their call refers to a boycott “of the state of Israel and not individual players”.
At the request of the AFP news agency, the UEFA made no comment, and FIFA’s answer was initially available. The Palestinian Football Association has already campaigned several times for Israel’s exclusion at FIFA, most recently at the congress in the previous year. A Commission of the World Association deals with the topic, but so far without any result.
The Gaza War was triggered by the major attack by the radical Islamic Hamas and its allies on Israel on October 7, 2023. According to Israeli information, more than 1200 people were killed and 251 others were deported to the Gaza Strip as hostages. Since then, Israel has massively militarily accomplished in the Gaza Strip in response to the Hamas robbery.
