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FIFA: Israel Guilty of Systematic Racism Against Palestine

1,458 views · Published 5 June 2015 · 11:33 · Indexed 10 November 2026

Channel: NewsClickin · 2015 · News & Politics

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Last week, during the recently concluded FIFA Congress in Switzerland, an important event was largely unnoticed, given the hullabaloo surrounding the corruption charges brought against various FIFA officials.

Palestine Football Association had proposed a resolution to suspend Israel from FIFA membership due to the systematic discrimination faced by Palestinian footballers. Finally, the Palestine Football Association, amended its resolution, postponing the suspension of Israel pending an enquiry, while Israel promised to take some steps to stop the harassment of Palestinian footballers and football teams.  

So how did the much maligned Sepp Blatter actually manage to broker some sort of understanding between these two sides? Why did Palestine drop its call for immediate suspension of Israel?

Newsclick discusses these issues with Prabir Purkayastha, editor of Newsclick and a convenor of the Indian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. Prabir points out that contrary to the stories being carried in the mainstream media, not only has Palestine not 'withdrawn' its proposal for suspension of the Israeli FA from FIFA, but FIFA has actually overwhelmingly voted in favour of the Palestine resolution thereby recognizing the institutional racism and discrimination against Palestinian football being carried out by the Israeli state. This is not a victory for Israel as Netanyahu has claimed but only avoiding an even bigger defeat namely, suspension of Israel from world football.

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