FIFA fails to take decision in Israel-Palestinian dispute

AFP, KOLKATA: FIFA's leadership refused Friday to intervene in a dispute between Israel and the Palestinians over football in the occupied territories, opening up a likely confrontation at the international sports tribunal.

The world body's ruling council declined to adopt any of three possible actions recommended by an international commission which spent more than two years looking at the long-running battle.

The FIFA Council said it “must remain neutral with regard to political matters” in line with the world body's statutes.

The Palestinian football association had demanded FIFA sanctions over six teams playing in the Israeli league which are based in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino called the dispute “exceptionally complex” because of the political situation in the Middle East.

It involved “issues which are there since 10,000 years and have not been solved yet and football is not going to solve them either I am afraid,” he told a press conference.

He added that “any interference in the status quo in these territories, in the whole area, with regard to football, would have or could have an aggravating effect.”

The Palestinians complain that their players face harassment and even arrest by Israel when trying to move between the occupied West Bank and Gaza and that some have been prevented from travelling to international tournaments.

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) said Israel had breached FIFA statutes which state that a member country's teams cannot play matches on the territory of another association without permission.

Israel said FIFA should stay out as there are no recognised frontiers for a Palestinian state.

FIFA fails to take decision in Israel-Palestinian dispute

AFP, KOLKATA: FIFAs leadership refused Friday to intervene in a dispute between Israel and the Palestinians over football in the occupied territories, opening up a likely confrontation at the international sports tribunal. The world bodys ruling council declined to adopt any of three possible actions recommended by an international commission which spent more than two years looking at the long-running battle. The FIFA Council said it must remain neutral with regard to political matters in line with the world bodys statutes. The Palestinian football association had demanded FIFA sanctions over six teams playing in the Israeli league which are based in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. FIFA president Gianni Infantino called the dispute exceptionally complex because of the political situation in the Middle East. It involved issues which are there since 10,000 years and have not been solved yet and football is not going to solve them either I am afraid, he told a press conference. He added that any interference in the status quo in these territories, in the whole area, with regard to football, would have or could have an aggravating effect. The Palestinians complain that their players face harassment and even arrest by Israel when trying to move between the occupied West Bank and Gaza and that some have been prevented from travelling to international tournaments. The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) said Israel had breached FIFA statutes which state that a member countrys teams cannot play matches on the territory of another association without permission. Israel said FIFA should stay out as there are no recognised frontiers for a Palestinian state.