A tense moment unfolded at the FIFA Congress as Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub refused to take part in a joint photo opportunity with an Israeli football official, highlighting ongoing political and sporting tensions.
According to Beyond Time News, FIFA President Gianni Infantino invited both Rajoub and Israeli representative Basim Sheikh Suliman to stand together following their addresses to delegates in Vancouver on Thursday. However, Rajoub declined repeated requests to participate.
Speaking after the incident, Rajoub said, “I refused to shake hands. How can I shake hands or have a photo with such a man?” He also referred to the situation in Palestine, stating, “We are suffering.”
The Palestinian Football Association has recently taken its dispute with FIFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking action over Israeli football clubs operating in West Bank settlements. The association argues that such clubs should not compete in leagues under Israeli football authorities.
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United Nations experts had earlier reported that multiple clubs were based in what they described as Israeli settlements and urged FIFA to ensure compliance with human rights obligations.
Rajoub also criticized the conditions facing Palestinian sport, alleging damage to sports infrastructure and harm to athletes amid ongoing conflict, and called on FIFA to apply its rules “with fairness and logic.”
The incident at the Congress reflects continuing tensions surrounding the intersection of international sport and the wider political conflict in the region.
