GIANNI Infantino tried to force Palestine and Israel representatives to do a handshake and pose for a picture together at Fifa Congress before the move spectacularly backfired.
The Fifa president called Jibril Rajoub, the president of the Palestinian football federation, and Basim Sheikh Suliman, the Israel FA Vice-President, onto the stage and in front of the other delegates in the room.
But Rajoub refused to stand next to Suliman when Infantino attempted to bring them closer together for a handshake and photo opportunity.
Rajoub stood his ground when Infantino placed a hand on his shoulder and encouraged him to co-operate and exclaimed "we are suffering" to the crowd.
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Infantino then spoke into his ear before they shook hands and he left the stage.
Rajoub used his speech earlier to criticise Fifa’s decision to not sanction Israel over football clubs based in West Bank settlements.
Speaking to members of the media afterwards, Rajoub said: “The guy who spoke on behalf of Israel, he did not even pay attention to the suffering, to what’s going on.
"He is trying to whitewash the ugly face of this Israeli government. Genocide, ethnic cleansing. We had to suspend all sport activities because of the Israeli occupation, suffocation, restriction, killing, arresting and so on.
“Could I shake hands with someone representing a fascist and racist government, defending even the policies of this government? I don’t think that I have to shake hands. I don’t think that he’s a qualified partner to me.
"While I understand, I recognise that the Israeli Federation has the right to organise and develop sport but within their internationally recognised borders. Was he ready to say that for the Palestinians?"
Asked what Rajoub said when he refused to shake hands, Palestinian FA Vice-President Susan Shalabi, who was in the room, told Reuters: “I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide. We are suffering.”
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Rajoub added: "I think Gianni has the right to try to bridge gaps and bring people together but I think maybe he does not understand or does not know the deep suffering of the Palestinian people.”
The incident came after Infantino confirmed that Iran will compete at the World Cup.
“The reason for that is simple, because we have to unite. We have to bring people together,” he said.
Infantino also confirmed that he will be standing for re-election in 2027, after he was previously re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino and Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin were accused in February of “aiding war crimes” in the occupied Palestinian territory amid Israel’s genocide in Gaza in a complaint filed to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
They have been accused of crimes against humanity, specifically apartheid, for the inclusion of Israeli football clubs “based in illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian territory that were built on land stolen from Palestinian people”.
Advocacy groups Scottish Sport for Palestine, Irish Sport for Palestine, Just Peace Advocates, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, and Sport Scholars for Justice in Palestine sent the 120-page complaint to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor on February 16.
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