More than 70 athletes from across Europe and beyond have signed a letter calling on UEFA to immediately suspend Israel from all football competitions, accusing the regime of “genocide, apartheid, and other crimes against humanity”.
The appeal — sent on Tuesday to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin — was coordinated by Athletes for Peace and drafted by Game Over Israel.
The Letter Delivered to UEFA
The letter argues that UEFA must sever ties with the Israel Football Association (IFA), stressing that football cannot be used to legitimise occupation or human rights abuses.
“No shared venue, stage, or arena in international civil society should welcome a regime that commits genocide, apartheid, and other crimes against humanity,” the letter states.
It adds that Israel’s “continued impunity” can only end through “collective conscientious action”, including blocking Israeli participation in sporting and cultural events.
Among the signatories are names any football fan would recognise: Paul Pogba, Hakim Ziyech, Adama Traoré, and Anwar El Ghazi. Human rights organisations such as the Hind Rajab Foundation and the Gaza Tribunal also signed the document.
Illegal Settlement Teams and Breaches of International Law
The letter points to Israel’s long-criticised practice of allowing clubs based in illegal West Bank settlements to compete in its professional leagues.
“The participation of teams from illegal settlements in Israeli football leagues is a breach of fundamental principles of international law,” the statement notes.
“UEFA’s relationship with the IFA – providing funding and allowing Israeli teams to play in international tournaments – means that UEFA may also be facilitating these violations and may themselves be accountable.”
Campaign director Ashish Prashar criticised UEFA’s earlier decision to delay a vote on suspending Israel after a US-brokered ceasefire last month, saying it was “either grossly naïve or purposefully blind”.
Growing Pressure Inside European Football
The push to suspend Israel has gained momentum across Europe.
In September, Turkish Football Federation president İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu publicly backed calls for Israel’s suspension.
Earlier this month, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) overwhelmingly voted for UEFA to immediately suspend Israel from European competitions.
These moves follow months of appeals from rights groups and UN investigators, who describe Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.
As of November, 69,182 Palestinians have been killed in the assault — including 421 footballers — with stadiums and sports facilities in Gaza also destroyed.
Fan Protests Across Europe
Public demonstrations have intensified.
During the Aston Villa vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv Europa League match on 6 November in Birmingham, protesters held banners listing the names and numbers of athletes killed in Gaza.
Elsewhere in Europe, Israeli clubs’ participation has sparked multiple controversies — from violent clashes in Amsterdam during an Ajax–Maccabi Tel Aviv fixture to a fan-attendance ban in the UK that led to political fallout.
A Call Citing Football History
The athletes’ letter notes that suspending countries for grave violations is not unusual.
“It is well-known that football governance bodies, such as UEFA, have historically suspended states from football for egregious violations of international law – apartheid South Africa, post-war Germany, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and more recently, Russia,” it reads.
“We urge you to follow international law and moral precedent and suspend Israel immediately.”
More from Wake Up Singapore:-
Football Fans in Manchester and Italian Coaches Demand FIFA Expel Israel Over Gaza Genocide
Dua Lipa Rejects Claims She Fired Agent Over Palestine Stance
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