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Kick Israeli Apartheid Out of Football

On Saturday, 24th March, England played Israel in a Euro 2008 qualifying match. A group of activists picketed the Football Association in Soho Square calling for a Sporting boycott of Apartheid Israel [Newswire Report].

Links: Boycott Israeli Goods | ISM Palestine | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Stop the Wall in Palestine

Audio FA protest - mp3 5.6M

Memorials to some of the kids killed by the Israeli Defence Force

The banner says it all

Saturday's vigil commemorated those Palestinian children killed while playing football. From September 2000 to December 2006 869 Palestinian children have been killed, a quarter of those were under twelve. Every month an average of fourteen will die. Many have been killed just playing football.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Boycott Israeli Goods campaign and Jews For Boycotting Israeli Goods, who participated in the vigil outside the FA, are responding to calls from Palestine and calling for a boycott of Israel until it complies with international law and universal principles of human rights. On 9 June, 2005, a coalition of Palestinian Civil Society Organisations issued a "call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel until it complies with international law’.

The vigil signals the start of a larger campaign in protest against Israel’s inclusion in Euro 2008. England are scheduled to play Israel in London this September.

TheWallMustFall
Homepage: http://www.bigcampaign.org

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

International sporting ethics.

15.04.2007 18:07

China, a country with an appalling record on human rights, no free elections and a complete joke of a legal system combined with the highest number executions in the world by far is to stage the next Olympic Games. You are wasting you time expecting Israel to be banned from sporting competitions when a country like China is rewarded for its evil behaviour by being granted such a big sporting event. Funny how we never hear calls for other countries to be banned from competitions because of their behaviour - could it be that this call for Israel to be banned comes from the usual sorry band of Israel haters rather than anyone concerned for the moral purity of interantional sports events?

simon

Campaign to ban China then

26.04.2007 10:37

Your logic is faulty. If you think China should be banned too, campaign for that. Maybe the people campaigning for sporting ties with Israel to be banned are the same sorry anti-apartheid campaigners who successfully ended apartheid in South Africa.

Ever heard the phrase 'they slaughtered our midfield' in a football match - well, the IDF literally slaughtered Tariq al Quto. Remind me again, why do Israel have to play in Europe anyway ?

Danny

Why is Israel considered part of Europe?

29.04.2007 11:21

I always wondered why Israel, being clearly in the Middle East, is included in the European groups of various sporting events and contests. Ok the reason is obvious, but what is the official line on that. Anybody knows? In a fair world they should compete within their natural geographic neighbours, the rest of the Middle East countries. And if anyone were to flaunt their "strong connection with Europe" as an excuse, then why not use the same argument and include all the Latin American countries for their strong connection with Spain and Portugal and the US and Australia, New Zealand with Britain and so on and so forth.

Clive

Israel vs Palestine - marred by racism & police brutality

30.04.2007 13:49

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Football_Association
"In 1956 the Israel Football Association was admitted to the AFC. In the early 1970s the Israel Football Association was expelled from the AFC due to political pressure from Arab and Muslim states that refused to play against Israel. For 20 years the Israel Football Association was not affiliated with any confederation and was playing provisionally in the OFC and in the UEFA until in 1991 it was admitted to the UEFA as a full member. "

AFC = Asian Football Confederation
OFC = Oceania Football Confederation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_national_football_team
"Both the Israel Football Association and the Palestine Football Federation count the 5 international matches played by PFA between 1934-1940 in their record. The current Palestine Football Federation was founded in 1962, but wasn't recognized by FIFA until 1998, after the creation of the Palestinian Authority."

Europe plays with Israel because they don't shoot our midfielders - just our peace-protestors. Simon has a point though, why do any other nations play with us or China or the US ?

Remember that 1998 classic world cup match between the US and Iran ? The BBC and US channels were hyping up possible terrorist attacks. Instead, the Iranian team came out ( to chants of 'USA Number 1') with flowers for their opposing players and went on to win easily 2-1.

As Che said 'It is not just a simple game, it is a weapon of the revolution'.