Palestine rejects the politicisation of sport to whitewash Israel’s violations

The Palestinian Football Association has put an end to circulating reports regarding the possibility of a match between the Palestine and Israel Under-15 national teams, emphasising that what has been reported in some media outlets is completely unfounded and does not reflect the reality on the ground.

The Association said, in an official statement, that it had not received any notification or proposal from FIFA regarding the organisation of such a match, adding that the relevant authorities had confirmed that there had been no announcement or arrangements in this regard.

The Palestinian denial was categorical, with the Association emphasising that its position on this matter is “firm, clear and leaves no room for interpretation”, and affirming that it will not be a party to any initiatives or attempts aimed at imposing a sporting narrative divorced from the realities facing Palestinian sport.

The FA in Palestine rejects whitewashing Israeli crimes

The statement emphasised that talk of joint matches or sporting projects ignores the losses and violations suffered by the sporting system in Palestine, noting that over the past three years Palestinian sport has lost more than a thousand male and female athletes, including former Palestinian national team captain Suleiman Al-Abeed and karate champion Nagham Abu Samra, as well as the extensive damage caused to sports facilities and infrastructure.

The Federation added that its priorities are focused on protecting Palestinian players and defending their rights, and on continuing legal and sporting actions before international bodies, foremost among them FIFA, in a bid to achieve accountability and ensure the fair application of international rules and regulations.

The Palestinian Football Association called on the media to exercise accuracy and rely on official sources, warning against the circulation of unverified information that could mislead public opinion and divert attention from the fundamental issues facing Palestinian sport.

Featured image via the Canary