FIFA, Israel: Bibi’s Growing Concern

Following the failure of the Palestinian request to FIFA to exclude Israel from the list of teams it has recognized, which the international football council rejected and on account of growing negative sentiments against Israel among the European teams and some card carrying footballers, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem that Israel was facing an ” international campaign to sully its image, which had nothing to do with its policies in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, but rather stemmed from a desire to deny Israel of its right to exist.

Netanyahu’s remarks come on the heels of the controversy in the international football association, FIFA, with regard to the Palestinian proposal to suspend Israel. Netanyahu said that efforts to boycott Israel continue despite the Palestinian attempt to suspend Israel from FIFA has failed, and added that Palestinian boycott echoed similar attacks the Jewish people faced in the past.

Earlier, Palestinians had tried to get Israel banned on the grounds that Israeli security restrictions had limited the movement of Palestinian players, visiting teams and soccer equipment.

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