Salam - Ireland's football body urges UEFA to suspend Israel from competitions

Assalamu alaykum. The Football Association of Ireland has supported a motion urging UEFA to suspend Israel from European club and international competitions. A Dublin club put the proposal forward, arguing that Israel breached two UEFA rules. The motion passed comfortably, with 74 votes for, seven against and two abstentions. The FAI said it will now submit a formal request to the UEFA executive committee asking for the immediate suspension of the Israel Football Association from UEFA events. The alleged breaches relate to clubs organised in settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association, and to a claimed failure by the IFA to enforce an effective anti-racism policy. Israel’s national and club sides have been taking part in UEFA competitions but often play ‘home’ fixtures at neutral venues. Similar calls for suspension have come from football officials in Turkey and Norway. The Dublin club said it was proud to have advanced the motion and thanked delegates who supported it. Some critics, including a US politician, argued the move unfairly targets Jewish people. UEFA had paused plans to vote on suspension following a ceasefire in Gaza last month. Although Israel is in Asia geographically, it competes in European football - it was expelled from the Asian federation in 1974 after political objections from other countries. JazakAllahu khair for reading - wanted to share a concise, Muslim-perspective recap of the situation. https://www.trtworld.com/article/5f87525f0c4d