Palestine Football Association (PFA) president Jibril Rajoub refused to shake hands with Basim Sheikh Suliman, the vice president of Israel’s football governing body, during a tense moment at the FIFA congress on Thursday.
After the two men addressed the congress, they were called to the podium by FIFA president Gianni Infantino. They stood far apart and Rajoub protested loudly away from the microphones before leaving the stage.
During his speech to Congress, Rajoub called on FIFA to address PFA allegations that Israel has broken anti-discrimination rules by admitting clubs based in West Bank settlements.
He confirmed that the PFA is referring the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after FIFA ruled in March not to ban Israel over its clubs in the West Bank. FIFA cited the unresolved and complex legal status of the West Bank.
But in a separate case involving an Israeli club, FIFA fined the Israel Football Association $190,000 on disciplinary charges related to «discrimination and racist abuse,» plus «offensive behavior and violations of the principles of fair play.»
After the two men left the stage at the Vancouver Convention Centre, Infantino thanked them for addressing the delegates and made an appeal.
«President Rajoub, Vice President Suliman, let’s work together. Let’s work together to give hope to the children. Let’s work together for that,» Infantino said.
After the conference, Rajoub made an impassioned plea, asking whether Israel “has the right to even be part of FIFA.”
“For my part, I still respect and follow all legal procedures through the FIFA institutions, but I think it is time to understand that Israel must be sanctioned for its violations of FIFA’s statutes and human rights,” he said.
Yariv Teper, acting secretary general of the Israel Football Association, declined to comment on the details of Rajoub’s comments but said the IFA would be willing to work with Palestinian counterparts.
“We are present at the FIFA Congress,” Teper said. “Our mission is to promote football and a better future for all regions, and this is our mission.”
Palestinian soccer officials have long argued — including at annual FIFA conferences over the past 15 years, before Infantino was president — that Israel is violating its statutes by allowing teams from West Bank settlements to play in Israel’s national league.
The disciplinary investigation into Israeli football was also opened 18 months ago following a second objection from the Palestinian federation.
Published on May 1, 2026
