UN specialists call FIFA, UEFA to halt Israel’s football team

2025-09-28 03:14:02

(MENAFN) On Monday, the UN specialists urged FIFA as well as UEFA to halt Israel's national football team from international competitions, stating that it is a "necessary response to address the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory."

The specialists stated that "the conclusion of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel, that Israel is committing genocide is the latest in a growing number of international bodies affirming that genocide is being committed." They referenced the International Court of Justice’s interim order of January 26, 2024, which reaffirmed every nation's legal responsibility to take action against genocide.

They stated that "sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual," and added "sporting bodies must not turn a blind eye to grave human rights violations, especially when their platforms are used to normalize injustices."

The specialists explained that the demand is directed at the state of Israel, not individual people who are playing. They stated, "We have always maintained that individuals cannot bear the consequences of the decisions their government makes."

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