’Israel’ Struggles to Avert FIFA Ban Vote

Local Editor

Despite immense "diplomatic efforts" and willingness to "compromise," "Israel" is still facing a vote on its suspension from FIFA, due to be held on Friday at the request of Palestinians who complain about restrictions on training and competition.

The "Israeli" Foreign Ministry had been working hard to either prevent the vote on the country's suspension from FIFA, or at least garner enough support to make sure the measure was not passed.

The series of arrests at the international organization had already led to "Israeli" diplomats questioning the organization's credibility, in an apparent effort to derail the vote. "Israel" had been accusing Qatar of paying other member states to support Palestinians in their bid to exclude the Zionist teams from the league.

The Palestine Football Association [PFA], a FIFA member since 1998, is calling for "Israeli" exclusion, claiming that Palestinian players were prevented from freely crossing the border between "Israel" and Palestinian territories, which hampers normal training and competition.

In order for the bid to be passed, the 209-member-strong association has to show support with two thirds of delegates' votes. Both sides, the Zionist entity and Palestine, however, likely regard the vote as more political, and estimate the chances for the acceptation as not being high.

However, "Israel" still aims to prevent the whole vote. Last week, the topic was raised during a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and FIFA President Blatter, who opposed the vote as it would bring politics into sports.

Meanwhile within a framework of a whole "diplomatic campaign," the "Israeli" Foreign Ministry sent ambassadors and diplomats to counter the measure.

"We have reached nearly 70 percent of FIFA's members, but of course not those from Muslim countries, with which we have no relations," a Foreign Ministry official said, according to Ynetnews website.

"We have received very good assurances from countries that would oppose the Palestinian bid, but we are taking these promises with a grain of salt as there is always a concern that they will vote as per the directives of the regional confederations."

This week FIFA faced a wave of arrests of its senior officials, including two vice-presidents, on allegations of corruption, instigated by the US. Its chief Sepp Blatter was also under investigation, and on Friday his presidency was set to be challenged by Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, who garnered much support from the West in his bid to unseat Blatter.

"Israeli" delegates met with FIFA officials in order to try and draft a list of concessions Tel Aviv was ready to make to avoid the vote. According to Haaretz source, as a "compromise" the Zionist entity reportedly offered to issue special travel documents for Palestinian footballers and coaches, ease restrictions on the construction of sports facilities, ease tax burden on sports equipment and arrange monthly meetings to resolve outstanding issues.

FIFA would need Rajoub's consent to cancel the vote, and the Palestine football chief was reportedly ready to accept the deal, but only if FIFA in its turn called on the UN to rule on the status of football teams based in "Israeli" settlements in the occupied West Bank. This could result in the expulsion of five "Israeli" teams from FIFA, since the UN considered the territory to be illegally occupied by the Zionist entity.

"Negotiations are still going on but they are very complicated," a top FIFA official said earlier this week. "There may not be a solution until the final hours."
Rajoub meanwhile said that "everything is possible and we are open to every scenario".

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team