You’d have to be comatose not to know of the startling revelations of massive corruption in FIFA that amounted to $150-million in the past few years alone. Eight current or former senior officials were suddenly arrested at dawn at their posh Swiss hotel, where they were preparing for today’s international meeting. They will be extradited to New York, where the Justice Department will try them for their alleged crimes. It seems possible, if not likely that Sep Blatter, the FIFA president is in the cross hairs as well, though he isn’t incriminated in the indictments.
Today, he was re-elected to his fifth term in office. Apparently, FIFA under Blatter has had too much of a good thing and didn’t want to turn off the tap.
Before the arrests, FIFA had been beset by the Palestinian resolution to suspend Israel from the international body because of its violent interference in the affairs of Palestinian soccer. The violence included arrests and harassment of Palestinian players, refusing to allow them to enter the West Bank to play, and even the brutal shootings of two star players in the feet. This attack destroyed careers and ruined their chance to ever play professional soccer again.
Earlier today, the Palestinian soccer federation president, Jibril Rajoub, withdrew the motion his group had filed to suspend Israel’s membership. It’s hard to tell whether he backed down because he no longer had the votes, because he was bought off or because FIFA was bought off. At any rate, the reaction among Palestinians will be swift and negative. This is another in a long line of betrayals by the PA of the Palestine national cause.
Israeli media have begun to chronicle the massive propaganda campaign they launched to topple the Palestinian initiative. Before I recount this, I have to say that Israeli media are willing recruits in the hasbara battle on Israel’s behalf. So some, much, or all of the following may be discounted as self-serving. Though it’s nevertheless telling for what it reveals.
For the past month, officials of Israeli national soccer established a war room, dividing up the world into regions with each staff member assigned to a major region, getting to know the soccer officials and present the Israeli pitch.
The international Jewish sports federation, Maccabee, even joined the effort. A high level official had an especially close relationship with a member of the Vatican Holy See. Through this channel the Pope was even asked to weigh in on Israel’s behalf by writing a letter to support Israel’s efforts.
One of the Israeli officials was so thankful for the efforts of Michel Platini, head of the European soccer federation, that he said he deserved the Israel Prize, which is awarded to artists and scientists who’ve made great achievements and served the nation. It’s a cross between the Queen’s Honors List and the Pulitzer Prize. Platini apparently played a key role in defeating the Palestinian initiative.
One report describes a meeting earlier this week between the Israeli soccer chief, Ofer Eini–a former Histadrut labor chief known for his cozy, corrupt relationships with employers and the government itself–and Sepp Blatter. After the latter told Eini that he would have to appoint a commission to study the issue of Israeli racism in sport, Eini is reported to have screamed at him:
“You don’t tell me about racism. Look at the world. There’s no anti-Semitism? Six million of us were killed because of it!
The report dramatically recounts Blatter’s stunned reaction and claims he then “understood the message.”
One of the most provocative items in the Israeli report is that among the IEFA officials present in Zurich for the deliberations was its chief financial officer, Dodi Gil. One wonders why a soccer federation preparing for a vote needs its accountant. Think of it this way: accountants handle money. They receive it. They disburse it.
Why might Israel be disbursing money or favors during the deliberations? Given the context of massive bribery and fraud outlined above, my question almost answers itself. If you review the history of Israel’s relationships with countries it needed for various purposes, the blandishments range from cash, trade, weapons. We can rule out weapons as part of Israel’s FIFA arsenal. But we can’t rule out much else.
As Israeli-Swiss journalist Shraga Elam wrote on Facebook:
This has the stench of bribery. You also can’t discount the possibility of bribing Rajoub himself.
Note as well that Israel’s largest financial institution, Bank HaPoalim’s Swiss branch is accused in the U.S. indictment of funneling nearly $15-million (roughly 10% of all the bribery money involved in the entire FIFA corruption scandal) to those FIFA officials on the take.
Eini’s mantra against the Palestinian resolution was that it introduced “politics” into sport, where it has no place. As if sport was some sort of pure, abstract value divorced from the world. It’s also laughable to talk about soccer in such terms given the level of corruption that’s been at its heart for years.
In this context, it’s worth remembering Blatter’s lame suggestion during his recent visit to Israel-Palestine that a “peace match” between the two national teams would somehow resolve all outstanding differences. I swear this guy’s living in Cloud Cuckoo Land.
During the FIFA deliberation, Israel’s talking points were so successful that even Rajoub, in conceding defeat, claimed Palestine’s effort didn’t amount to introducing politics into sport. Once you get your opponent to use your own talking points, you’ve won. So Israel once again outplays Palestine.
The Palestinian’s abject failure was crowned by his handshake with Ofer Eini after the resolution failed. Think of the colonial master who vanquishes the foe and then gets a photo opportunity shaking the hand of the defeated vassal. Rajoub will come out of this trumpeting his tiny concession: FIFA appointing a committee to “monitor” Israel’s relationship with Palestinian soccer. That and a few bucks will buy you a cupa Joe somewhere.
To understand how important this vote was for Israel, you must understand the importance of the sport in the nations of the world outside the U.S. Then you must understand that Israel’s government sees the handwriting on the wall. It knows what happened to South Africa. The victories by opponents of apartheid began small. Then turned into a trickle. And before the Afrikaaner government knew what was happening, the floodgates were open and apartheid was unsustainable. Israel sees and fears this above all. This is why it pulled out all the stops for a victory.
Not that this will work in the long run. Eventually, justice overwhelms all the stratagems of shrewd clever men who are trying to conceal the truth of their deeds. Just as BDS will continue to gain ground in this international debate, so will FIFA eventually come around to the position that Israel’s actions are unsupportable. Then Israel will be suspended just as South Africa faced similar ostracism from international sports. All this is coming.
Commenter ‘Yeah, Right’ has a point in the comment thread below. It’s reasonable to see this result as a first skirmish in a long war that will eventually lead to Israel’s suspension or expulsion from FIFA. Israel will inevitably backtrack on the few concessions it made in this compromise agreement. It will commit yet more outrages against Palestinian soccer. When it does, Rajoub can return to FIFA with evidence in hand and demand justice. He can point to his earlier willingness to compromise as a credit in his favor. Ultimately, Israel cannot win this game as long as it remains on its current apartheid course.
Just in case you had the mistaken impression that Israel would tread delicately in the aftermath of its victory so that the Palestinians don’t lose face: Israeli minister, Yisrael Katz, posted this on Facebook:
Rajoub failed in his mission of throwing Israel out of FIFA. Now’s the time to imprison him in the Muqata [like Israel did to Arafat] and let him play Stanga [hackysack] with his pals.
In a similar vein, Sports and Culture Minister Miri Regev, who denounced African refugees as a “cancer” and then apologized to cancer victims, gave her introductory speech in her new job. She repeated breathlessly the mantra of “pluralism” as if she it was an amulet to ward off the evil spirits of racism and hate of which her new government is accused. This was the keeper of her speech:
In the name of pluralism, I will not allow anyone to hurt the image of Israel, the soldiers of the IDF, and of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
Someone needs to remind her that she’s no Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. She doesn’t click her heels three times and become Wanda the Good Witch. In fact, she remains the Wicked Witch who curses Israel’s African refugees and spews venom against Palestinians. No amount of pluralistic whitewash can remove the stench she’s introduced into Israeli political life.
H/t to Ronnie Barkan.
“The violence included arrests and harassment of Palestinian players… and even the brutal shootings of two star players in the feet. This attack destroyed careers and ruined their chance to ever play professional soccer again. ”
Choirboys, Richard. Choirboys for the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Shot in the feet? Really. Which foot?
[URLs removed for comment rule violation]
@ Walter: It’s very clear why you’re here. We’ve had scores if not hundreds like you. Your goal is disinformation. Digression. Diversion. Lies. I won’t permit it here. Also, Comment is Free Watch is a hasbara site which is not a credible source.
Here are the sources documenting the attack on the Palestinian soccer players and their injuries:
http://www.thenation.com/blog/178642/after-latest-incident-israels-future-fifa-uncertain#
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=673479
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=669885
The next time you pull crap like this you will be banned.
Let your readers google ‘Jawhar Nasser Jawhar’ and let them decide if Jawhar is an innocent football player, shot in his prime by the IDF for no reason, or whether he is a DFLP activist with a dodgy account of his shooting and hospital room pics which question his injuries.
You all but libel Jabril Rajoub, not to mention Israel, with zero, I emphasize zero evidence, and you want me banned?
That’s laughable.
Hey Walt. I took your advice and did search for “Jawhar Nasser Jawhar”. What I found is that some Palestinian footballers were shot at, had Israeli dogs maul them and then were dragged into Israel where they were arrested and hospitalized.
Okay, I accept your contention that they were actually “terrorists” (aren’t all Arabs?) and maybe they even had bombs hidden in their footballs to kill the innocent Israeli soldiers. If what you posit is even half-way accurate then I am surprised at Israeli soldiers’ consideration in that they did not shoot to kill as they always do…how kind of them!
Imagine, shooting Palestinians in their feet and legs with which they can carry out their “terrorist activites” of fighting Israel on the footbal field when the soldiers don’t even spare children, they shoot them in the head!
Richard is way off line on this one and you are right. “Terrorists” like a Palestinian football team should e shot in the legs and feet. Israel did nothing worng, it never does. All criticisms of Israel and the Jews who carry out the Anschluss against Palestinians are…how would you state it?…”Anti-Semitic”!
Walt you are well named after Walt Disney who also wrote fairytales, you are one of the paid israeli trolls who sew mis-information on the internet. Fuck off back to eastern europe you nazi cunt.
Don’t you think that’s a bit harsh?
“Did Israel Buy Its Way Out of FIFA Suspension?”
Are you suggesting the Palestinians were bought off?
@Walt: I’m suggesting you don’t know how to read & should learn quickly & stop asking stupid questions.
Rajoub, ‘big hearted’, says Blatter.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4662994,00.html
I read fine.
@Walter: I find it so entertaining when hasbarists lk you breathlessly flourish what you think is definitive evidence of the righteousness of your cause, when in fact your evidence proves just the opposite. Sepp Blatter is a corrupt soccer oligarch & Rajoub is his Palestinian puppet. Of course Blatter loves Rajoub. What’s not to like as far as Blatter is concerned.
Since when does the master’s approbation mean anything? As for yr reading skills, I suggest you remove the hasbaglasses glasses & read a bit more widely.
Look, a couple of points to make:
a) The Israeli football federation did indeed put significant concessions on the table, the most important being a guarantee that Palestinian footballers will be allowed to travel between the West Bank and Gaza.
Once that offer was put on the table then Jibril Rajoub would be derelict in his duty towards his players *not* to accept it, and that meant withdrawing his motion.
To do otherwise would be utterly reckless, because he would be painted as the recalcitrant while the Israelis would revel in presenting themselves as Reasonable Men Who Are More Than Willing To Reach An Amicable Compromise.
b) The Israeli football federation doesn’t ACTUALLY have the authority to “guarantee” freedom of movement for any Palestinian. That’s Ya’alon’s bailiwick, and the chances of him feeling bound by a commitment made by Eini is exactly…. zero.
That doesn’t affect the politics of (a) above, precisely because FIFA accepted that the offer was being made in good faith (even if you or I or Jibril Rajoub might snort at the notion).
Sooo, what happens next?
Israel has agreed to end its restrictions on the movement of those players, and my prediction is that it will (inevitably) renege on that agreement.
At that point Jibril Rajoub will have his proof that Israel’s interactions with FIFA are being carried out in “bad faith” and, therefore, FIFA should no longer give Israel the benefit of the doubt.
Or, in soccer-speak: Jibril Rajoub couldn’t be certain that he had a Red Card in his pocket, so he settled for a Yellow Card.
Which means that if Israel fouls again…….
So I believe that the smart play is to do exactly what Rajoub just did i.e. he took the offer that he knew was there for the taking, and he has arranged for FIFA to put Israel on notice.
After all, from his PoV what was the alternative?
A) Put it to a vote and lose (and then watch a triumphant Israel trash his players)
B) Put it to a vote and win (and then watch a vengeful Israel trash his players)
Those aren’t very appealing options, not compared to the deal he got today.
I think the hundreds of people who came from abroad to support the Palestinian demand feel they’ve been fooled. In France, activists have been campaigning for a very long time, they’ve organized weekly happenings to inform the public about the restrictions suffered by Palestinian players, they’ve made sit-ins at the French Football Federation etc.
At least they managed to disturb Sepp Blatter’s speech. Look from min 0:36
Someone asking: “what’s this”. Blatter (I think) answering: “It’s some people … Palestine ….screaming against Israel ….”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8alLXi7SpHI
I forgot to mention that the two female activists also managed to approch the Israeli delegation, and to put a red card on their table, saying “Red Card to Israel”.
It’s a minor happening, but just as no Israeli sports team can play anywhere in Europe without being interrupted, it’s only the beginning.
DY: “they’ve organized weekly happenings to inform the public about the restrictions suffered by Palestinian players,”
And in that FIFA meeting Israel agreed to ease those restrictions, at which point what – exactly – did you expect the Palestinian football federation to do?
Reject that offer, even though activists have been organizing weekly “happenings” to inform everyone that This Is What The Palestinians Want?
When did that become a smart move?
Israel folded, dude, and whether (or, more likely, not) Israel is making that offer in bad faith then AT THIS POINT IN TIME the Palestinians have to take the offer, precisely because they are being offered what they CLAIMED they wanted.
They can’t do what you want them to do, which (apparently) is to turn around and say “We lied, this was never about restrictions on our player movements. We just want Israel expelled because… we want Israel expelled”.
What I wanted the Palestinian Football Federation to do . To go through with what they’ve said: a vote to exclude Israel from FIFA. It’s not like this is the first time the hard conditions of Palestinian football players have been discussed …. and it just adds to the mistrust against the PA who regularly back off their promises.
Just hours after Blatter went to Israel/Palestine, the Palestinian national football team was held for hours at Allenby.
“Israel detains Palestinian National Football Team one day after Netanyahu promised FIFA to facilitate travel of Palestinian athletes”:
http://mondoweiss.net/2015/05/palestinian-netanyahu-facilitate
DY: “To go through with what they’ve said: a vote to exclude Israel from FIFA.”
Based on… what, exactly?
The Palestinians demanded that vote BASED UPON Israel’s unwillingness to allow freedom of movement for those Palestinian soccer players.
Israel has now agreed that those soccer players will not be hindered.
So, I’ll ask again: given that the Israelis have agreed to that demand then what reason is there for FIFA to exclude Israel?
You are demanding that the Palestinians play the politics of The Empty Gesture, and that’s never the smart play.
DY: “It’s not like this is the first time the hard conditions of Palestinian football players have been discussed ”
Indeed true, but this is the first time that the Israelis have folded w.r.t. that issue.
So why on earth would Rajoub do anything other than to grab the concession, and then play it for all its worth if/when Israel reneges?
DY: “Just hours after Blatter went to Israel/Palestine, the Palestinian national football team was held for hours at Allenby.”
Oh, I don’t doubt for a second that Israel will renege on the deal.
After all, see my first post, where I said that the Israeli football federation is giving assurances that are not within its authority to give, since “security” is a portfolio that is owned by Ya’alon.
But right here and right now FIFA has accepted the Israeli offer as one that has been made “in good faith”, and under those circumstances Rajoub would be a fool to press on with that motion.
But as I also pointed out, Rajoub has managed to get a FIFA yellow card flashed under Israel’s nose, which means that if Ya’alon proves to be an unreconstructed rejectionist (which he is, the man can’t help himself) then that’ll be a second Yellow Card, and that means a send-off for Israeli football.
So the IFA gave commitments it was not entitled to make and Israel has no intention of keeping to those commitments. Clearly Israel should be suspended until it is able to make commitments it can abide by. It’s as simple as that.
Rajoub said in an interview that if he did not pull the motion, the FIFA was going to make a vote to ban any country from requesting suspending another country just before the vote of the Palestinian motion.
and he said that the russians told him that although they support him but they are afraid that the ukranian would ask for the same thing so they wouldnot vote yes.
so he chickened out.
zaid, there are two very good reasons why that claim does not pass the sniff-test.
Reason 1: If Rajoub had the numbers to get Israel suspended then he must have also had the numbers to defeat a vote that would “ban any country from requesting suspending another country”.
After all, if there were FIFA officials who were determined to vote for Israel’s suspension (and that’s what we are assuming, are we not?) then they wouldn’t vote in favour of nobbling themselves.
There would be no reason for them to vote in favour of such a motion, so Rajoub would be as confident of defeating *that* motion as he would be confident of winning his *own* motion.
Reason 2: The very idea of a “surprise motion” that the FIFA executive pulls out of a hat is ludicrous.
Think about it.
Think about it.
Think about it.
A $billion organization does not allow “surprise motions” in its general meeting, and that goes double for a $billion corrupt organization – there would be much too much danger that some do-gooder will ambush the President For Life by proposing a vote that El Presidente didn’t see coming.
Motions have to be put on the agenda, and the agenda is set far enough in advance that NOBODY gets surprised by an unexpected bit o’ nastiness.
If Blatter had pulled such a “surprise vote” out of his backside then all of Rajoub’s supporters in FIFA (and we are assuming he has plenty, are we not?) would have pointed out the obvious i.e. the motion isn’t listed in the agenda, and so it would be “out of order” for there be a vote on it.
I mean, get real: FIFA may be corrupt, but it’s not a kindergarten playground.
you said:
“Reason 1: If Rajoub had the numbers to get Israel suspended then he must have also had the numbers to defeat a vote that would “ban any country from requesting suspending another country”.”
I am not sure but i think that in FIFA to get a country suspended you need 175/209.
but to pass a motion to prevent that i think they ned simple majority. ( but i am not sure).
you said:
“Reason 2: The very idea of a “surprise motion” that the FIFA executive pulls out of a hat is ludicrous.”
you are wrong,
what do you call the vote that happened regarding P/I issue, it wasnot on the agenda.
and israel said that itself wasnot sure voting would happen and they were preparing for the worst.
So no my friend, the FIFA is Managed like a kindergarten and i am sure you heard the recent news about the organization.
DY: “What I wanted the Palestinian Football Federation to do . To go through with what they’ve said: a vote to exclude Israel from FIFA.”
Then what you wanted is not the same thing that the Palestinians wanted.
They wanted the restrictions on their players lifted, and the means by which they sought that was the threat of expulsion for Israel.
They achieved their aim, at which point they were obliged to withdraw their threat.
What you wanted as a petulant display of The Politics Of The Empty Gesture, and every time the Palestinians attempt that they come up…. empty.
DY: “It’s not like this is the first time the hard conditions of Palestinian football players have been discussed ”
True. But this is the first time that Israel has conceded that the Palestinians are correct and that their complaints have merit.
DY: “and it just adds to the mistrust against the PA who regularly back off their promises.”
They promised that *IF* the player restrictions were not lifted *THEN* they would move a motion to have Israel suspended from FIFA.
The Israelis have promised to lift those restrictions, which means that the Palestinians have won.
You want them to throw that away in the pursuit of an empty gesture, one that (under the circumstance where Israel has already conceded) they would almost certainly lose.
And you seem to think that would be smart.
How so, exactly?
@ Yeah, Right: You must remember what you wrote in your earlier comment, which is that the Israelis will not honor their commitment as they dishonor virtually every agreement they make. Then the question becomes can Rajoub & the PA muster the strength of will to remount this campaign in FIFA and win.
That’s by no means a given considering how corrupt the organization is. So I think that while you have a point in general terms, Deir Yassin isn’t wrong either in wishing for more fortitude from Rajoub & the PA.
Oh, I stand by what I wrote, Richard. I think that it is a given that the Israelis will renege, precisely because the Israelis who are giving that promise are not the Israelis who have the authority to give that promise.
But that’s not the point: the point is that AT THIS FIFA MEETING the executive accepted the idea that what Israel has proposed has been proposed “in good faith”.
The moment that FIFA accepted that notion then the Palestinians had to (correctly) back off.
Richard: “Then the question becomes can Rajoub & the PA muster the strength of will to remount this campaign in FIFA and win.”
Oh, I think that’s a given. Israel has just made a promise, and that promise of We’ll Behave, Honest! was made as much to FIFA as it was to the Palestinians.
Israel can only do that once. They can’t piss in FIFA’s pockets and then expect FIFA to stand alongside them the next time they get hauled into the dock.
The Palestinians are playing this smart: they aren’t going for broke, they are pick, pick, picking away at Israel’s credibility.
And considering the huge disparity in power and influence between Israel and Palestine then, honestly, I can’t see how anyone can expect anything more.
Israel never offers “Deals”, it re-packages a box of screws and gives them to the other side, calling it a “deal”. The many and powerful sycophant supporters of Israel say “Amen” and the other side is forced into accepting the “deal”.
Rajoub may not have had a choice. Israel may have simply paid off the heads of Fatah as it has done so many times (including Rajoub himself) and the orders to accept the “deal” came from the top, just as they did for the so-called Oslo “Agreement”. I doubt if other options were considered.
Well, hurrah for the USDOJ. That’s more aggressive action than they’ve ever taken with bank officials laundering money for the Mexican drug cartels or genicidaires.
Platini, the President of UEFA, helped Israel to thwart the Palestinian attempt to boot the oppressor out of Fifa.
Five years ago, in 2010, he sang to a different tune apparently encouraged to do so by Sepp Blatter:
“The president of the European Union of Football Associations (UAFA), Michel Platini, has threatened to annul Israel’s membership to the union because of the restrictions it imposes on Palestinian football players.
In a meeting with Jibril al-Rajoub, head of the Palestinian football union, Platini confirmed that Israel’s non-adherence to international sporting regulations will lead to the cancellation of its UEFA membership.
He added; “We accepted them in Europe and furnished them the conditions for membership and they must respect the letter of the laws and international regulations otherwise there is no justification for them to remain in Europe. He continued; “Israel must choose between allowing Palestinian sport to continue and prosper or be forced to face the consequences for their behaviour.”
Platini revealed that he had received a phone call from Joseph S. Blatter, President of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), in which he expressed his strong displeasure with Israeli practices and its restrictions on Palestinian players.
He confirmed that he would put all his weight behind ending the suffering of Palestinian players particularly in football and that he would undertake to convey this to UEFA’s Executive Office during an upcoming meeting on the 1st of October in the capital of Belarus.
Source: Palestinian Information Centre”
So what has changed?
“So what has changed?”
Well, 2010 is five years ago, which means that Platini has spent half a decade dining out on the Gravy Train.
That can’t help but change a person’s perspective, and not for the better.
And I would suggest that there is very likely to be another reason: the USA is obviously determined to pull FIFA down and rebuilt it in such a way that will guarantee that a US-backed toady gets the top job.
Which means that there is soon going to be a very juicy job vacancy: US Toady, Top Salary Guaranteed.
Platini is almost certainly angling for that job, and he would have to be crazy to think that “siding with the Palestininans” is the way to cozy up to Uncle Sugar Daddy.
Some people seem to think being a football player entitles one to diplomatic immunity. IT DOESN’T!!!
And a single incident (of whatever nature) of players getting badly hurt doesn’t make it Israeli policy.
The only case the Palestinians might have is of teams from the West Bank. I bet the committee promised will find the proper loophole to make it legal.
and what about the open policy for some israeli clubs of not allowing arab players, will they find a loop hole there.
I don’t know whether anyone was bribed or not. Clearly FIFA is used to such a phenomenon!
What is clear is that once again a representative of the PA/Fateh has backed down in the face of Israeli resistance. Quisling Abbas is regularly quoted by Zionist apologists as being opposed to BDS. Abbas is on record as saying that co-operation with Israeli security and military is ‘sacred’.
That is the difference between Israel/Palestine and South Africa. The ANC, despite its appalling record in government and the massacre of miners at Marikana, had a good and principled position of opposition to Apartheid and the political representatives of Apartheid. The Palestinians have no such equivalent organisation. The reasons are many and varied, including the lack of an equivalent Palestinian working class. The situation in the Arab countries, with the ISIS butchers vs the sectarian Shi’ite militias is also entirely different to that in Southern Africa.
Nonetheless the task of the Palestinians is the creation of a Palestinian National Council which doesn’t see its main enemy as the Palestinian people. When that happens the actions of people like Jibril Rajoub will be a matter of history. It is clear though that the PA has form on this – they huffed and puffed and then backed down over the Goldstone Report, their complaint to the ICC disappeared, the Mavi Marmara complaint likewise vanished. The PA is tied hand and foot to the Israeli government. What else can one expect of the bastard fruit of Oslo?
“When truth is replaced by silence,the silence is a lie.”
― Yevgeny Yevtushenko
@ gilead: How impressive. You’re a literary critic & lover of poetry. How sensitive of you!
In case anyone missed this: on Saturday FIFA suspended ….. Indonesia !
“FIFA says its executive committee approved the sanction because of the Indonesian government’s “effective ‘take over'” of the national football federation. FIFA rules prohibit government interference.”
http://news.yahoo.com/fifa-suspends-indonesia-ahead-world-cup-qualifiers-121520134.html
I kid you not: FIFA rules prohibit governement interference. As if Palestine didn’t have a case here.
@Deit aYassin: Because the Israeli government certainly has nothing to do with the functioning of the Israeli football federation!!
@Deit Yassin: Because the Israeli government certainly has nothing to do with the functioning of the Israeli football federation!!
But maybe with the (difficulty of) functioning of the Palestinian Football Federation ….
Reminds me of a film by filmmaker Maya Sanbar Goal Dreams about the Palestinian national football team:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRZEFDuECdw