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FIFA President Gianni Infantino shakes hands pinch Basim Sheikh Suliman (left), vice president of nan Israeli Football Association, arsenic Jibril Rajoub (right), president of nan Palestine Football Association, leaves nan shape astatine nan 76th FIFA Congress successful Vancouver, Canada connected April 30, 2026. (Reuters/Jennifer Gauthier)
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Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub was seen refusing to shingle hands aliases moreover guidelines beside Israel Football Association vice president Basim Sheikh Suliman during a tense speech astatine nan FIFA Congress connected Thursday.
Both officials were invited to nan shape by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, but nan Palestinian typical resisted efforts to bring him person to his Israeli counterpart.
Infantino concisely placed a manus connected Rajoub’s limb and gestured for him to measurement forward, but Rajoub did not comply.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during nan 2026 Semafor World Economy convention successful Washington, D.C., connected April 15, 2026. (Kent Nishimura/AFP)
The Palestinian FA, led by Rajoub, has agelong pushed for Israel to beryllium suspended from world shot competitions.
Rajoub defended his decision, saying he remains committed to general processes but believes stronger action is needed.
"I still respect and travel nan ineligible process but I deliberation it’s clip to understand that Israel should beryllium sanctioned. The double-standard argumentation should stop," Rajoub said, per The Times of Israel.
"I refused to shingle hands. Sport is sport… for me, that should beryllium respected, but if nan different broadside is representing a criminal for illustration Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and speaking connected behalf of Bibi arsenic if Bibi is Mother Teresa, really tin I shingle hands aliases person a photograph pinch specified a man?"
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A instrumentality displays a Palestine emblem during nan Nations League group shape lucifer betwixt France and Israel connected Nov. 14, 2024. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)
"I deliberation Gianni has nan correct to effort to span gaps and bring group together but I deliberation possibly he does not understand aliases does not cognize nan heavy suffering of nan Palestinian people."
He added that while Infantino’s intentions whitethorn person been to foster unity, he whitethorn not afloat grasp nan extent of Palestinian suffering.
After nan exchange, Infantino addressed nan room, urging cooperation.
"We will activity together, President Rajoub, Vice President Suliman. Let’s activity together to springiness dream to nan children. These are analyzable matters," Infantino said.
Speaking conscionable earlier nan incident, Suliman emphasized nan unifying domiciled of nan sport.
"In football, location is nary spot for politics," Suliman said. "Everyone has nan correct to play and compete. We are school children values for illustration respect, equality and emotion for others, and we dream that by nan adjacent clip we meet, nan business will beryllium better. We widen a manus to nan Palestinian FA successful nan tone of those shared values."
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Players from Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur statement up earlier nan UEFA Super Cup shot lucifer successful Udine, Italy, connected Aug. 13, 2025. (Denes Erdos/AP)
UEFA was reportedly moving toward a vote to suspend Israel complete nan warfare successful Gaza successful September, but nan mobility was put connected pause. FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced nary action would beryllium taken against nan squad connected Oct. 3, aft a historical bid connection by President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
However, moreover aft nan bid proposal, Israeli sports teams person faced guidance and exclusion.
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Jackson Thompson is simply a sports newsman for Fox News Digital covering captious governmental and taste issues successful sports, pinch an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited successful national authorities actions related to nan enforcement of Title IX, and successful bequest media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
