Football – Yellow card for Israel? – Frankfurter Rundschau

May 19, 2015

In fact sport should unite, how these Israeli and Palestinian children during a joint football training camp in Israel. Photo: REUTERS

With checks and travel barriers make Israeli authorities of the Palestinian football team a hard time. Now beat back the Palestinians – with a request to the FIFA Congress.

For the Palestinian national team already had the qualification for the Asian League 2015 triumph. There is everything. But the kicker of Gaza and the West Bank this sentence yet have a special meaning. Ever create the exit, on military checkpoints and Israeli border crossings away, is in their case usually a nerve-wracking experience. In comparison, the 20-hour flight can be pure relaxation for Asian Cup to Australia.

Evil experience that players in international away games are unable to attend or can not make it to the preparatory training, because Israel will not let you pass makes the Palestine Football Association (PFA) for years. The Fifa knows the problem, their mediation efforts have so far yielded little success, even as President Sepp Blatter personally is therefore sought in the Israeli government. Players, especially those from Gaza – where supposedly come from the best talent – be, if at all let out, after lengthy approval process. Even foreign teams who were invited to friendly matches should have been harassed at the border.

Fifa chief meets Netanyahu

This Wednesday the Fifa boss comes again to crisis intervention to Jerusalem and Ramallah. The Swiss will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Thursday before a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled. Because the Palestinian Football Association went to the tactical offensive. In a letter to all 208 member associations PFA chief Jibril Jadschub has moved the request to vote at the FIFA Congress on May 29, a suspension of Israel. It was time that the violations of the principles of fair play WOULD CHOOSE sanctions.

In addition to the travel restrictions is part of the accusation list that five settler associations that are in the occupied territories at home, playing in the Israeli league, which is incompatible with the FIFA statutes. Even the Israeli Football Association have (IFA) too little against the racist chants of the notorious fans from the club Beitar Jerusalem.

As far as it related to Israeli security concerns, he understood, emphasized Radschub, once Palestinian intelligence chief, on Tuesday in Ramallah. “With security risks you do not play.” But “Israel’s arrogant behavior” would no longer accepted. “Do not treat us like neighbors.” Most Fifa members saw the same, from which the Palestinians refer hope to achieve the necessary absolute majority of its application during the Football World Congress. “Rules are there to be respected.” Radschub refers to Article 3 in the FIFA statute, the discrimination against any other member country on ethnic or religious grounds prohibited and topped with possible sanctions.

The Israelis”> Israel

At least allows the Israelis to put some pressure. Because they are just like their Palestinian neighbors enthusiastic football fans. In the square, their national teams are still never met. But Blatter should find a proposal to goodness, even such a meeting would be possible at some point. A crowd thriller would be guaranteed. PFA president Jadschub dismissed the allegations, meanwhile. The goal is not the exclusion of Israel, but to “help the Palestinian athletes”.