At a stressful moment during the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Gianni Infantino, the president of the organization, failed to get the football heads of Israel and Palestine to shake hands on stage.
In the midst of the continuous turmoil, Infantino had asked the leaders of both federations to address delegates for a few minutes apiece.
Infantino asked to stay on stage when Basim Sheikh Suliman, the vice president of the Israel FA, finished speaking.
Jibril Rajoub, the president of the Palestinian Football Association, was then invited back by the FIFA president.
Rajoub hesitated when he returned to the stage, and the official was then observed having a lively conversation with Infantino while pointing to Suliman.
The FIFA president addressed the two men as the delegates watched Rajoub refuse Infantino’s request for a handshake.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, was unsuccessful in his attempt to get Israel’s and Palestine’s football chiefs to the organization’s Congress.
Infantino was observed trying to persuade Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestine Football Association, to shake hands, but Rajoub refused.
“Let me thank the two representatives from Israel and Palestine, who have the same rights, the same duties, and are members of FIFA,” Infantino said as the two men continued to stand apart, on either side of the FIFA president’s platform. “President Rajoub, vice president Suliman, let’s work together,” he said, gesturing toward Israel FA vice president Basim Sheikh Suliman.
Together, let’s give the kids hope. “Let’s do it together, you have my commitment, you have the support of the entire room.” We have a lovely under-15 competition coming up, in which we will welcome all 211 countries and children worldwide to join.
When Infantino reappeared to try to arrange a handshake, Rajoub could be heard yelling, “Please, please, please, we are suffering.”
After giving Infantino a hug and a peck on the cheek, Rajoub left the stage.
Before the FIFA president went back to his seat, Suliman embraced Infantino. “These are very complicated matters, but we never give up on any challenge and we continue on this as well because all children from Palestine and Israel deserve the same hope in the future,” Infantino said, adding that he would visit both countries when circumstances permit.
In a difficult moment, the two guys moved apart, and Infantino urged them to cooperate.
In the end, Rajoub turned down Infantino’s repeated attempts to shake hands and was heard yelling at delegates about the plight of the Palestinian people.
In his speech to Congress, Rajoub said that Israel had violated anti-discrimination laws by permitting clubs to have their headquarters in West Bank settlements.
Following FIFA’s decision last month to not sanction Israel over West Bank clubs, the PFA chairman stated that they have filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
FIFA has mentioned the West Bank’s complicated and unresolved legal situation.
In his answer, Suliman, an Arab-Israeli, stated that the Israel FA had backed the Palestinian FA “since day one” but did not address Rajoub’s accusations.
Prior to Infantino’s attempted handshake, he stated that the organization “extend a hand to the Palestinian FA.”
Later, Rajoub acknowledged that he had declined to shake hands with Suliman. He told reporters that Infantino was “right to try to build bridges,” but he implied that the FIFA president was unaware of the “deep suffering” of Palestinians.
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