Attitude of president of the Palestinian Federation towards Israeli leader generates tension in FIFA

The FIFA Congress, held this Thursday (30) in Vancouver (CAN), was marked by a moment of diplomatic tension between representatives of the Palestinian and Israeli football associations. During the event, the president of the Palestinian Football Federation, Jibril Rajoub, refused to shake hands with the vice-president of the Israeli federation, Basim Sheikh Suliman.

continues after advertising

➡️Everything about the biggest teams and football stars around the world now on WhatsApp. Follow our Lance channel! International Football

The episode took place on the main stage, as an outcome of a frustrated attempt by the president of football's highest governing body, Gianni Infantino, to promote a public rapprochement between the two directors.

continues after advertising

The climate of discomfort began when the congress opened to delegates for speeches in the plenary. Jibril Rajoub was the first to speak, at which time he reiterated the entity's formal complaints about the presence and activity of Israeli clubs in areas located in Palestinian territory. Afterwards, the vice-president of the Israel Federation, Basim Sheikh Suliman, also made his official statement. Immediately after the speeches, Gianni Infantino intervened and invited both leaders to return to the center of the stage for a greeting.

Faced with the approach promoted by the FIFA president, Rajoub refused to shake hands and avoided proximity to Suliman. Although the microphones were turned off at that specific moment, reports indicate that it was possible to hear the Palestinian leader exclaim in a loud tone that his people are suffering.

continues after advertising

The vice president of the Palestinian federation, Susan Shalabi, endorsed the stance and criticized the attempt to organize the event. The leader stated that the association could not greet someone taken by the Israelis to try to cover up actions she classified as fascism and genocide, reinforcing the demonstration about the suffering of the local population.

Infantino's appeal

After Rajoub's obvious refusal and the embarrassment generated on the main stage, Gianni Infantino took the floor to try to calm the situation. The FIFA president used the microphone in the plenary to give a quick speech asking for a focus on solutions and pacification among sporting entities involved in the context of the Middle East conflict.

The leader requested that the representatives, President Rajoub and Vice President Suliman, work together to offer hope to the children of both nations, recognizing before the international congress that the issues discussed are of a highly complex nature.

➡️ Follow Lance! on Google to find out everything about the best of Brazilian and world sport

📲 Keep an eye on Lance! and in International Football. All the news, information and events in one place.

+ Bet on different football games around the world!
*You must be over 18 years old to participate in any activity