The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) voted on Saturday to call on UEFA to suspend Israel from European club and international competitions following a motion proposed by Dublin club Bohemians.
The resolution, which accused Israel of breaching two provisions of UEFA’s statutes, passed comfortably by 74 votes to seven, with two abstentions.
In a statement after the vote, the FAI said it would “submit a formal motion to the UEFA executive committee requesting the immediate suspension of the Israel Football Association from UEFA competitions.”
Bohemians’ proposal cited two alleged violations of UEFA’s rules: the “organisation of clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association,” and the “failure of the Israel Football Association to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy.”
Israel’s national and club sides take part in UEFA competitions rather than those organised by the Asian Football Confederation, but have played most home fixtures at neutral venues since the 7 October 2023 attacks due to ongoing security concerns.
Calls for Israel’s exclusion from international football had grown earlier in the year, with federations in Turkey and Norway making similar appeals, though these softened after last month’s announcement of an Israel-Hamas peace plan for Gaza.
Bohemians said in a statement that they were “proud” to have put forward the motion and thanked delegates for their support.
However, the decision has drawn criticism from abroad. US Republican senator Lindsey Graham condemned the move, saying it amounted to “punishing the Jewish people 80 years after the Holocaust because they choose to fight back against terrorist groups.”
The FAI’s next step will be to take the motion to UEFA’s executive committee, whose members will decide whether to consider a formal suspension of the Israel Football Association.
