Hallgrímsson says Fifa and Uefa should ban Israel from club and international competitions

Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson believes Fifa and Uefa should remove Israel from their competitions in the same way that they banned Russia.

Both Fifa and Uefa banned all Russian clubs and international teams on February 28th 2022, four days after the invasion of Ukraine.

“I don’t see a difference between Fifa and Uefa banning Russia and not Israel,” said Hallgrímsson. “I don’t see the difference.

“I am not speaking on behalf of the FAI – I just don’t see the difference.”

Hallgrímsson made the comments in the FAI headquarters after naming his 24-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Portugal and Armenia.

“Would I have struggled if they wanted Ireland to play Israel, if they were in our group? Of course we would play. I wouldn’t have a problem with that,” he continued.

“It is an absolute tragedy what is happening there. If Fifa and Uefa are banning one nation for the same thing, I don’t see the difference.”

This week Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne were among a 40 per cent block of the FAI General Assembly seeking an emergency general meeting to vote on Israel’s ongoing participation in European club and international competitions.

FAI president Paul Cooke, in response to an Irish fan-group calling for Israel’s suspension, revealed that the issue will be debated and voted upon at the association’s AGM on November 8th.

[ FAI chief confirms association has asked Fifa and Uefa to take ‘strong position’ on IsraelOpens in new window ]

“In light of the recent findings by the United Nations independent international commission of inquiry, which concluded that Israel has committed acts amounting to genocide in Gaza,” Cooke wrote, “we have been in deep consultation with Uefa to seek clarification on their position on Israel’s participation in Uefa competitions.”

According to the Palestinian football association, 437 Palestinian footballers have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 2023.

Uefa postponed a meeting this week to discuss banning Israel from European football after the announcement of US president Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan for the region.

In February 2024, however, the Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis indicated that the difference between the two conflicts is that Russia invaded Ukraine while Israel was attacked by Hamas on October 7th, 2023.

“There are two completely different situations between the two countries,” said Theodoridis. “Don’t forget the start of the war in Russia and Ukraine and the start of what is happening now – which is regrettable, of course – in the Middle East.”

On Wednesday, Amnesty International wrote to Fifa and Uefa calling on them to suspend the Israeli football association (IFA) from their tournaments until it excludes clubs based in illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories from continuing to play in Israel’s football leagues.

[ Israel in line for World Cup qualifying reprieve even if Uefa imposes banOpens in new window ]

“As Israel’s national football team gears up for World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Italy, Israel continues to perpetrate genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general.

“At the same time, Israel is brutally expanding its illegal settlements and legitimising illegal outposts in the West Bank as part of its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory. It is nothing short of a disgrace that the IFA is still allowing clubs from these settlements to keep playing in its leagues, after multiple warnings for more than a decade.”

There are at least six clubs based in settlements in the occupied territories currently playing in Israeli leagues, in violation of both international law and Fifa’s own statutes.

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