Jerusalem, May 26 (IANS) Principal directors of Israel Football Association (IFA), headed by president Ofer Eini, travelled to Zurich in an attempt to gain support ahead of a possible FIFA membership suspension, as requested by the Palestinian association during the annual FIFA Congress.
The Israeli delegation will try to convince other associations to vote against the proposal made by the Palestine Football Association (APF) to suspend Israel for alleged violations of FIFA regulations, Efe reports.
The petition proposed by the Palestinian side, which for two years has been denouncing Israel over lack of free movement for Palestinian players and the participation of several settlement teams in the league, must receive 157 votes of the 209 FIFA members to go into effect.
The IFA believes that it will be difficult to gather the required number of votes to suspend Israel’s membership, but it also wants to defend against a possible resolution that could suspend the participation of settlement teams in local competitions as well.
The Palestinian association’s proposal will be voted on Thursday and Friday, one week after the visit of FIFA president Sepp Blatter to the area to mediate between the two parties.