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**Activists Renew Push to Suspend Israel from European Football Over “Genocide” Allegations**

**Milan, Italy** – Amidst a fragile ceasefire in Gaza and the resumption of Israel’s FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign, pressure is mounting on UEFA to suspend Israel from European football. The campaign group “Game Over Israel” is leading the charge, unveiling billboards in major cities and a full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times, demanding UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin hold Israel accountable for alleged abuses against Palestinians.

“Israel has no place in international football after the horrors it unleashed on Gaza, which leading rights groups and United Nations investigators have described as a genocide,” said Ashish Prashar, a campaign director at Game Over Israel. He drew parallels to the suspension of Nazi Germany from football after World War II.

The group argues that allowing Israel to participate in international competitions “sports-washes genocide” and violates international law. They cite Israel’s allowing teams from settlements in the occupied West Bank, considered illegal under international law, to compete in its professional leagues.

Echoing this sentiment, former UN special rapporteur on Palestine, John Dugard, stated that UEFA risks complicity in normalizing war crimes by continuing to host Israeli teams. He urged the organization to immediately suspend the Israel Football Association (IFA) until Israel ends its “genocide” and “unlawful occupation.”

The campaign highlights the precedent set by FIFA and UEFA’s suspension of Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. A letter from over 30 legal scholars to Ceferin reinforces the call for a ban.

Public protests have also gained traction, with hundreds of Norwegian fans waving Palestinian flags and banners accusing Israel of apartheid and genocide before their national team’s match against Israel.

While Israel’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup are slim, the United States has stated it will block any attempts to ban Israel from the tournament should it qualify. Israel has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup on a European quota. It did so in 1970 from Asia.

The calls for suspension mark a significant escalation in the ongoing debate surrounding Israel’s participation in international sporting events, raising questions about the intersection of politics, human rights, and the world of football.

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