Jerusalem: Amnesty International on Friday criticized FIFA for its inaction regarding football clubs based in illegal Israeli settlements, asserting that this stance disregards international law. "By refusing to take action against clubs based in Israeli settlements, FIFA has failed to enforce its own rules and is blatantly flouting international law," stated Steve Cockburn, head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International.
According to Anadolu Agency, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee recently found the Israel Football Association (IFA) guilty of multiple 'grave and systemic' discrimination violations. However, the committee stopped short of imposing significant sanctions. It noted that the IFA failed to address issues like racism, politicized and militaristic messaging, and the exclusion of Palestinians from football infrastructure in the occupied West Bank settlements. This was described as 'institutional complicity' in a system of segregation.
Despite acknowledging that the violations warranted 'severe and exemplary sanctions,' the committee declined to pursue the Palestinian Football Association's request to bar Israeli clubs based in occupied territory from international competition. It cited jurisdictional limitations as the reason for this decision.
The statement from Amnesty International further highlighted that the International Court of Justice has declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful, with settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) deemed illegal. It emphasized that FIFA's own statutes prohibit members from playing games in another association's territory without permission.
Amnesty International criticized the Israeli Football Association for legitimizing Israel's unlawful occupation and the associated human rights violations against Palestinians, including apartheid. It called on FIFA to act decisively, citing its "unequivocal responsibility" to do so. The organization also urged FIFA to ensure transparency by publishing the legal advice it received on the matter and providing the rationale for its decision.