FIFA president Blatter reiterates support for Israel

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has reiterated his support to Israel over calls from the Palestinian Football Association to suspend them from international football.

Following renewed calls from Jibril Rajoub, the head of the Palestinian Football Association, to ban Israel from competing in international football over enforcing restrictions on the movement of Palestinai players in Gaza and the West Bank, Blatter met with officials from the Israeli Football Association on Wednesday, after which FIFA Blatter had: “reiterated his position that any member association that is fulfilling its statutory duties should not be suspended… This would also apply to the IFA as long as they fulfil such duties.”

The Israeli FA have not been accused of breaking FIFA statutes, who says they can’t influence Israel’s security forces. FIFA also announced they’d be hosting a metting between IFA chairman Ofer Eini and Rajoub over the next few days, while Rajoub said Blatter called him to meet his Israeli counterparts. Rajoub has though said he’s not interested in such a meeting, saying: “We are committed to the statues of FIFA, we are committed to the principles, but at the same time we are committed to go for the resolution in the congress of FIFA, there is no compromise, there will be no private deal.”

Meanwhile,  Eini has written to the 209 FIFA member associations, urging them to reject Palestine’s motion, saying it was “a flagrant move that seeks to mix politics with sport – something that is completely contrary to FIFA’s vision”.