The world football’s governing body FIFA has once again delayed its review on a Palestinian bid to have Israel suspended from the international arena over its bloody war on Gaza.
FIFA said late on Friday it would now consider the Palestine Football Association’s (PFA) proposals against the Israel Football Association (IFA) later in October.
The PFA had submitted a proposal to suspend Israel in May, with FIFA ordering an urgent legal evaluation and promising to address it at an extraordinary meeting of its council in July.
FIFA pledged last month that the legal assessment would be shared with its council by August 31, with a decision to come shortly after.
However, the Zurich-based body has now said it will move the assessment back to the autumn.
A statement shared on X said: “FIFA has received the independent legal assessment of the Palestine Football Association’s proposals against the Israel Football Association. This assessment will be sent to the FIFA Council to review in order that the subject can be discussed at its next meeting, which will take place in October. FIFA would like to thank both member associations for their ongoing support and cooperation.”
FIFA failed to give further details of the assessment, or explain the reason behind the delays or when in October the meeting would take place.
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The announcement will no doubt caused anger across pro-Palestine circles, who have held out hopes of swift action to punish Israel amid the ongoing massacres in Gaza.
The PFA has said at least 92 Palestinian players have been killed in the war, football infrastructure has been destroyed, its leagues suspended and its national team required to play World Cup qualifiers abroad.
In its proposal, the PFA wanted FIFA to adopt “appropriate sanctions” against Israeli teams, including bith the national side and all national clubs.
At least 40,691 people have been killed and 94,060 wounded in since Israel’s war on Gaza began on October 7. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the attacks Palestinian group Hamas led on October 7.
FIFA double standards?
The announcement of FIFA’s delay was announced on the same day as a new no racism gesture which FIFA will implement at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup Colombia 2024.
The ‘No Racism’ gesture is meant to empower players and referees in the fight to uproot racism in the football world.
Israel has long been condemned by human rights groups for practising anti-Arab apartheid. Experts, governments, United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organisations have also accused Israel of carrying out a genocide against the Palestinian people during its invasion and bombing of the Gaza Strip which began after October 7.
Additionally, the PFA also alleges that the Israeli government is violating international law and that there is discrimination against Arab players and against soccer clubs in the West Bank.
