{"id":640248,"date":"2026-05-01T06:56:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T06:56:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/640248\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T06:56:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T06:56:17","slug":"palestinian-soccer-chief-refuses-to-shake-hands-with-israel-federation-vp-at-fifa-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/640248\/","title":{"rendered":"Palestinian soccer chief refuses to shake hands with Israel federation VP at FIFA event"},"content":{"rendered":"

VANCOUVER, Canada (Reuters) \u2014 Palestinian soccer federation President Jibril Rajoub refused to stand alongside Israel Football Association Vice President Basim Sheikh Suliman in a heated moment at the FIFA Congress on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Both men were called to the stand by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, but Rajoub declined to be brought closer to the Arab-Israeli Suliman.<\/p>\n

Infantino put his hand on Rajoub\u2019s arm and invited him with a gesture to come closer to Suliman, but in vain.<\/p>\n

Asked what Rajoub said when he refused, Palestinian FA Vice President Susan Shalabi, who was in the room, told Reuters: \u201cI cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide. We are suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n

Israel has strongly denied committing genocide in Gaza.<\/p>\n

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Infantino then took the stand and said: \u201cWe will work together, President Rajoub, Vice President Suliman. Let\u2019s work together to give hope to the children. These are complex matters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Palestinian football federation President Jibril Rajoub refused FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s invitation to shake hands with and stand alongside Israeli football official Basim Sheikh Suliman during the FIFA Congress on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Asked what Rajoub said when he refused,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/LmqNCOOljJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 KUWAIT TIMES (@kuwaittimesnews) May 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Speaking to Reuters after the Congress ended, Shalabi said Infantino\u2019s attempt to have Suliman and Rajoub shake hands showed little consideration for the Palestinian FA chief\u2019s speech, in which he made yet another plea for Israeli clubs not to base teams in the West Bank settlements.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be put in a position where to have a handshake after everything that was said, this negates the whole purpose of the speech that the general [Rajoub] was giving,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe spent like 15 minutes trying to explain to everyone how the rules matter, how this could easily become a precedent where the rights of member associations are violated with impudence, and then we\u2019ll just wrap this under the carpet. It was absurd.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rajoub said: \u201cFrom my side, I still respect and follow the legal procedure but I think it\u2019s time to understand that Israel should be sanctioned. The double-standard policy should stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cI refused to shake hands. Sport is sport\u2026 for me, that should be respected, but if the other side is representing a criminal like Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and speaking on behalf of Bibi as if Bibi is Mother Teresa, how can I shake hands or have a photo with such a man?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Gianni has the right to try to bridge gaps and bring people together but I think maybe he does not understand or does not know the deep suffering of the Palestinian people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tFIFA President Gianni Infantino (C) interacts with the President of the Palestine Football Association Jibril Rajoub as the Vice President of the Israel Football Association Basim Sheikh Suliman (L) looks on during a heated moment at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada on April 30, 2026. (Don MacKinnon \/AFP)<\/p>\n

Last week, the PFA appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA\u2019s decision not to sanction Israel over clubs based in West Bank settlements.<\/p>\n

The PFA has long argued that clubs based in settlements in the West Bank \u2013 territory Palestinians seek as part of a future state \u2013 should not compete in leagues run by the Israel Football Association.<\/p>\n

FIFA said last month it would take no action against the IFA or Israeli clubs, citing the unresolved legal status of the West Bank under public international law.<\/p>\n

As they were leaving the Vancouver Convention Center, Rajoub and Shalabi were targeted by protesters who were demanding that FIFA ban Iran from the World Cup on the grounds that the team, they say, represents the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes that convince you that you have to support IRGC\u2026 because you\u2019re having a problem with Israel?\u201d one protester asked Rajoub.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not supporting anyone, we just want the support of the international community,\u201d Rajoub said.<\/p>\n


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