Irish FA backs motion to ban Israel from European football

The governing body of football in Ireland, the FAI, has passed a motion to have Israeli teams banned from European competitions. The organisation will now ask Uefa, which governs football across the continent, to bar both clubs and the national team from competing. Such a move would rule Israeli teams out of competitions including the Europa League, Champions League and the Euros. The motion, tabled by Dublin-based club Bohemians, was passed by a majority of 74-7 by the FAI. It accuses Israel of "violating two independent provisions of the Uefa statutes". The club specified these alleged violations as the "organisation of clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association" and a "failure to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy". However, the move could spark backlash from the US, with a senior Senator threatening to take action against the FAI. Lindsey Graham, chair of the Senate Budget Committee, said: “It is my understanding Ireland is about to make a motion to the European body governing soccer to ban Israel from playing in European soccer tournaments. “Ireland and others would be punishing the Jewish people 80 years after the Holocaust because they choose to fight back against terrorist groups who wish to kill all the Jews. Hamas started this war. Hamas has put civilians at risk to continue this war. And Hamas is a radical Islamic terrorist group dedicated to the destruction of Israel. They must be defeated militarily and politically. “If these attacks against Israel continue, I will do everything in my power to make those who participate in this effort to marginalise Israel in sports, and elsewhere, pay a heavy price when it comes to access to the American economy.” The push to ban Israel comes after the extensive row over Maccabi Tel Aviv's Europa League clash with Aston Villa last week, which saw Maccabi fans banned from attending. Police in Birmingham have claimed that the decision was motivated by "hooliganism" among the Maccabi fan base, but this has been disputed by the UK government. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told LBC that West Midlands Police had factored in the "high risk" posed to Maccabi supporters "because it was an Israeli team and because they were Jewish". The game went ahead with a sizeable protest gathered outside, including one speaker who told the JC: "F*** every Jew on site." Aston Villa went on to win 2-0.

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