UEFA executives discuss potential suspension of Israel from competitions: Report

These revelations come amid increasing pressure from member associations, athletes, and human rights groups to address Israel's participation in light of violations of international law and UEFA statutes. The governing body has not publicly commented on the matter.

The Game Over Israel campaign, a coalition of activists, humanitarians, and football fans advocating for Palestinian justice, was launched in New York City on September 17, just one day after a United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.

Primarily funded by the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and advised by former UN human rights officials, the group has called for sports bodies worldwide to boycott Israeli teams.

Sources indicated that UEFA was close to scheduling a vote in late September on Israel's continued involvement in European competitions, driven by advocacy from several member federations. However, leadership opted to pause following a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas announced on September 29, after months of US-mediated negotiations.

Ongoing discussions have centered on the implications and enforcement of a potential ban. While UEFA's executive committee is unlikely to suspend Israel, the organization is monitoring two legal challenges from Ireland and Switzerland that could compel action under international law.

Notably, UEFA President Aleksandr Ceferin has expressed concern for Gaza's suffering, advocating for awareness through public statements and gestures, such as displaying a banner at the Super Cup final that read, “Stop killing children; Stop killing civilians.” A letter from prominent players, including Paul Pogba and Adama Traore, urged UEFA to avoid complicity in “genocide and crimes against humanity.”

Additionally, the Football Association of Ireland voted to submit a motion to UEFA seeking a formal ban on Israel, citing violations of anti-racism statutes and illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Since joining UEFA in 1994, Israel has participated in major European tournaments, and a potential suspension would have significant repercussions for both national and club teams, echoing Israel's previous exclusion from the Asian Football Confederation in 1974.

As tensions remain high in the region, with escalating Israeli war resulting in significant casualties, UEFA's next steps will be closely scrutinized.

As legal proceedings advance and the ceasefire holds tenuously, UEFA faces a pivotal moment in balancing sport, politics, and human rights.

The next executive committee meeting is slated for December 3, where the issue could resurface.

Zionist regime has so far martyred over 70,000 Palestinians since launching the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, before a ceasefire deal, brokered by the United States, was reached in the besieged strip last October.