The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has voted overwhelmingly to submit a motion to UEFA seeking the suspension of Israel from European football competitions. The decision, taken during an extraordinary general meeting in Dublin, reflects mounting pressure across Europe to isolate Israel over its conduct in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The resolution was proposed by Dublin-based club Bohemians and passed with 74 votes in favour, seven against, and two abstentions.
Delegates argued that the Israel Football Association (IFA) has violated UEFA statutes by failing to enforce anti-racism policies and by permitting clubs to operate in settlements within the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association.
FAI President Paul Cooke clarified that Ireland would still play Israel if drawn against them in UEFA competitions, but emphasised that the association had been “mandated by our members to take a certain action and will do that”.
The motion now obliges the FAI board to formally submit the proposal to UEFA’s executive committee, which is scheduled to meet in December.
Ireland’s move follows similar calls from Turkey and Norway, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has also urged Israel’s suspension from international football.
Campaigners argue that Israel’s participation normalises its military campaign in Gaza, which has devastated sporting infrastructure and led to the deaths of hundreds of athletes.
Demonstrations across Europe, including in Dublin and Glasgow, have seen fans display banners and chant slogans demanding a “Red Card for Israel”.
UEFA had reportedly considered a vote on Israel’s suspension earlier this autumn, but discussions were postponed after a US-brokered ceasefire took effect in October.
Israel has been a UEFA member since 1994, having joined after expulsion from the Asian Football Confederation two decades earlier. Its teams currently play most home fixtures at neutral venues due to security concerns.
The debate has drawn comparisons with the sporting boycott of apartheid South Africa, with activists insisting that football cannot remain detached from wider human rights issues.
Whether UEFA will act on Ireland’s motion remains uncertain, but the growing number of national associations calling for action suggests the issue will dominate the next executive committee meeting.
Sources: Middle East Eye, RTÉ, Al Jazeera, Daily Times
