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<\/a><\/p>\nPublished On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026<\/p>\n
Members of an Israeli media contingent heckled Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson\u2019s news conference prior to the UEFA Nations League football match, causing it to end abruptly amid growing political tensions and protests against the fixture.<\/p>\n
During the media event on Saturday, an Israeli journalist asked Hallgrimsson about his views on an incident onboard a Flydubai flight to Israel<\/a> earlier this week.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list<\/p>\n According to the prosecutor general of the United Arab Emirates, the Flydubai co-pilot \u201cattempted to carry out a terrorist act\u201d, using an axe against the pilot to take over the aircraft\u2019s controls.<\/p>\n The plane carrying 174 passengers was on its way from the Dubai in the UAE to Tel Aviv in Israel on Wednesday when the copilot wounded Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, who opened the cockpit door to seek help.<\/p>\n The aircraft briefly plunged about 17,000 feet (5,180 metres) before it was brought back under control.<\/p>\n The attacker was not officially identified, but media reports quoting unnamed sources said he was an Omani national, Hamam al-Hammami.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you say about the people that you support? Their ideology is based on murder,\u201d the journalist asked, purportedly hinting at Ireland\u2019s stance on Palestine and attempting to link it to the aviation incident.<\/p>\n Before the Irish team\u2019s coach could answer, the Football Association of Ireland\u2019s communications manager Kieran Crowley stepped in and asked the journalist to refrain from asking questions not linked to the match.<\/p>\n The journalist persisted, carrying on with her question before Crowley stopped her again.<\/p>\n \u201cWe respected your questions at the last press conference, but we are doing football questions today,\u201d he said, referring to Israeli journalists\u2019 pointed questions about the calls to boycott the first leg of the European match.<\/p>\n Icelandic coach Hallgrimsson later termed the incident a \u201cverbal attack\u201d.<\/p>\n \u2018You\u2019ve just broadcast a lie\u2019<\/p>\n The first leg of the fixture was played on September 27 and the FAI faced strong calls for a boycott from the Irish public and former players<\/a>. The match went ahead and Ireland beat Israel 3-0 amid a tense atmosphere on the pitch<\/a>.<\/p>\n