WORLD football authority Fifa must kick out five Israeli teams from settlements in Palestine’s troubled West Bank, according to MEPs.
Currently five clubs belonging to the Israeli Football Association play from bases in occupied Palestine.
All five – Beitar Givat Ze’ev, Beitar Ironi Ariel, Ironi Yehuda, Beitar Ironi Ma’aleh Adumim and Hapoel Bik’at Hayarden – come from settlements ruled illegal under international law.
Fifa’s own statutes say teams from one association must not play on the territory of another without consent.
Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Football Federation (PFF), raised the issue last year, claiming the five were in violation of the rules.
Russia was previously compelled to ban Crimean teams from its league due to its illegal occupation of that area, and the issue is set to be discussed when Fifa’s council meets next month.
Now Scots MEP Alyn Smith has spearheaded a bid by parliamentarians from across Europe urging Fifa president Gianni Infantino to act.
The call comes as one of the teams plays a cup match there today at the start of the season.
The letter has more than 60 signatories and states that sports “play a key role in the global promotion of peace”, calling on Infantino to act in accordance with Fifa’s rules and commitment to respect and promote human rights.
It goes on: “The West Bank is part of the occupied Palestinian territory, which falls under the Palestinian Football Association.
“The settlement clubs, therefore, clearly violate Fifa’s statues, according to which clubs from one member association cannot play on the territory of another member association without its and Fifa’s consent.”
Referring to the situation with Russia, it states: “There is no reason to apply a more lenient policy towards the Israeli settlement clubs.”
The letter, which calls on Fifa to ensure that football is not an “instrument of territorial expansion”, claims an intervention is the only way to guarantee fair play and the integrity of the sport.
It adds: “We urge you to act in accordance with Fifa statutes, international law, the existing precedents and Fifa’s human rights commitments. On this basis, Fifa should rule that settlement clubs either fully relocate within Israel’s internationally recognised borders or are excluded from the Israeli Football Association.”
Spanish conservatives, French greens, Dutch liberals and German social democrats have all added their names to the message.
Smith, a member of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said: “I am not asking Fifa to suspend Israel, we just want it to apply the rules.
“Both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to play football.
However, allowing Israel to use football as an instrument of territorial expansion in the West Bank politicises football, and this is not acceptable.
“The five settlement football teams should relocate within Israel’s internationally-recognised borders, in line with the EU and UN positions.
“I see a clear case for action by FIFA and welcome its new emphasis on the respect of human rights. My call is a joint one supported by dozens of leading politicians across Europe, but also committed figures like Israel’s former Ambassador to South Africa.”
Fifa did not respond to a request for comment last night.
However, Tokyo Sexwale visited Israel and Palestine earlier this year in his capacity as chairman of Fifa’s monitoring committee.
Following the visit, he said politics in the region is hindering progress in football.
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