The press conference of the Israeli national team ahead of the Euro promotion playoffs/photo: Shlomi Gabbai.
Video editing: Nir Chen
The Israeli national team will meet the Icelandic national team on Thursday evening for a big battle in which the winner will qualify for the playoff final for promotion to Euro 2024. While the opponent's coach referred to the war in Gaza and then sounded a little more conciliatory, no other official in Iceland expressed himself politically regarding the meeting.
Still, some of the media outlets expressed displeasure that Israel was not suspended by FIFA. In a column she published on one of the leading websites in Iceland - Visir - the local BDS activist Haran Gumundsdottir wrote that "UEFA and the Icelandic association put the national team in an unpleasant situation, of playing against a country that commits heinous crimes against the population, and violates international laws."
Gomundsdottir claimed that Israel is carrying out sportswashing - whitewashing its actions through sports: "If Iceland goes up to play against it, it is actually sending a message to the people of Palestine and to the whole world that it does not see Israel's crimes as that serious. Although it is customary to say that it is only football, history shows that the football field is An excellent place to take a moral stand against injustice, apartheid and the violation of human rights. UEFA and the Icelandic confederation chose to ignore this, and in doing so they actually welcome the crimes of the State of Israel." The Icelandic
publicist concluded and wrote: "The decision of the Icelandic national team to participate in the game is a shame and disgrace.
It doesn't matter how the game ends - Iceland has already lost."
"If Iceland goes up to play against Israel, it is actually sending a message to the people of Palestine and to the whole world that it does not consider Israel's crimes to be that serious"/Maor Alxalsi
As you may recall, at the beginning of this month, Iceland's national coach Oga Hareida said: "I don't want to play against Israel, but we are forced to do it. As far as I'm concerned, we shouldn't play against a team that represents a country that does terrible things to women, children and innocent citizens. On the other hand, If we refuse to play, UEFA could impose sanctions on us, and I don't want us to risk punishment."
At the end of the week, he sounded completely different and said: "I am a person who strives for peace in all countries.
The situation in Gaza is very uncomfortable for anyone, and I do not agree with any side in this conflict.
If I was required to play in Israel, I wouldn't mind doing it.
One thing is clear to me - we are going to play against footballers, not against soldiers, so we will have to show sportsmanship."
More on the same topic:
Israel national football team
Iceland national team