A Palestinian coalition has put global football leaders in the crosshairs of legal action; 16 Palestinian entities, including clubs, players, and landowners, have filed an official complaint with the International Criminal Court.
This lawsuit directly targets the President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, and the President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Aleksander Čeferin.
Accusations of Complicity and Breach of International Law
The complaint places Infantino and Čeferin facing serious accusations of “complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The case revolves around the role the two organizations play in legitimizing sporting activity inside settlements; they allow 11 Israeli clubs to carry out their football activities on occupied land in the West Bank.
The lawsuit is based on a legal loophole in FIFA and UEFA’s own regulations, which clearly state the prohibition of any national association holding matches or sporting activities on the territory of another association without the explicit consent of the host, a rule that is continuously violated on pitches built inside settlements.
15 Years of Ignored Demands
In this regard, a spokesperson for the organization “Scottish Sport for Palestine” stated to a newspaper: “For fifteen years, the Palestinian Football Association has not stopped demanding that FIFA enforce its own laws and exclude settlement clubs, as they represent a blatant violation of human rights, but silence has been the only response.”
Double Standards
This lawsuit has once again highlighted the issue of “double standards” in dealing with humanitarian crises affecting athletes.
A former professional Palestinian player (residing in Egypt and who joined the lawsuit) expressed this feeling bitterly, saying: “When a foreign player is injured, FIFA moves quickly to offer support and condolences, but when it concerns Palestinian players registered with it, there is no reaction. Instead, we see bias towards Israeli teams despite the documented crimes of the occupation against our players.”
The coalition cited in its lawsuit the case of the star Suleiman Obeid, nicknamed “the Palestinian Pelé,” who was killed last summer in the Gaza Strip at the age of 41.
Despite his significant sporting value, his death did not stir any action in the halls of the international federation, reinforcing accusations against the organization of complete bias and disregard for the blood of Palestinian athletes.
Israeli settlement of Naale
Naale is an Israeli settlement located in the West Bank, established in 1988 as a secular, community-based settlement. It was founded by a group of families seeking a suburban lifestyle and has grown into a large community, though its establishment and expansion on occupied territory are considered illegal under international law.
occupied West Bank
The occupied West Bank is a landlocked territory in the Middle East, located west of the Jordan River. It has been under Israeli military occupation since the 1967 Six-Day War, though its historical and political status is central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians seeking it as the heart of a future independent state.
Palestinian city of Ramallah
Ramallah is a major Palestinian city in the central West Bank, historically a Christian-majority town that has grown into a modern political and cultural center. Since the 1990s, it has served as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority, hosting government institutions and becoming a hub for commerce, diplomacy, and civil society.
Jordan Valley
The Jordan Valley is a fertile geographic region in the Levant, following the course of the Jordan River from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. It has a deep historical significance, being a location for ancient settlements and a strategic route for millennia, with numerous archaeological sites dating back to biblical and classical periods. Today, it is a vital agricultural area and remains a focal point in regional geopolitics.
east Jerusalem
East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and later annexed by Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War. Its status remains a deeply contentious issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians claiming it as the capital of a future state and Israel considering the entire city its united capital.
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent judicial institution established in 2002 by the Rome Statute to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. It is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and represents the first permanent international court of its kind, created to address the most serious international crimes when national courts are unable or unwilling to do so.
International Federation of Association Football
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is the global governing body for soccer, founded in Paris in 1904 to oversee international competition. It is best known for organizing the FIFA World Cup, a tournament it first launched in 1930 that has since become the world’s most-watched sporting event.
FIFA
FIFA, or the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, is the international governing body for association football, founded in Paris in 1904. Its primary role is to oversee major international tournaments, most notably the FIFA World Cup, which it first organized in 1930.
Union of European Football Associations
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is the administrative and governing body for association football in Europe, founded in 1954 in Basel, Switzerland. It is responsible for organizing major continental competitions, most notably the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Champions League, and oversees national associations and leagues across the region.
UEFA
UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, is the administrative and governing body for association football in Europe, founded in 1954 in Basel, Switzerland. It organizes prestigious continental club and national team competitions, most notably the UEFA Champions League and the European Championship.
Palestinian Football Association
The Palestinian Football Association was founded in 1928 and became a full member of FIFA in 1998. It governs football in the Palestinian territories, representing a significant symbol of national identity and perseverance despite political and logistical challenges.
Scottish Sport for Palestine
“Scottish Sport for Palestine” is a solidarity campaign within Scotland’s sporting community that advocates for Palestinian rights and raises awareness of the Palestinian cause. It was established as a response to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and involves athletes, clubs, and fans organizing events and making symbolic gestures, such as displaying Palestinian flags, to show support.
Egypt
Egypt is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, with a recorded history spanning over 5,000 years, famously centered around the Nile River and the pharaonic kingdoms that built the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Its rich cultural heritage includes ancient temples, hieroglyphic writing, and significant contributions to mathematics and architecture, later influenced by Greek, Roman, Coptic Christian, and Islamic periods. Modern Egypt remains a pivotal cultural and political center in the Arab world, with Cairo as its bustling capital.
Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip is a small coastal territory on the eastern Mediterranean, historically part of Palestine and administered by Egypt after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. It came under Israeli occupation following the 1967 Six-Day War and is now home to a predominantly Palestinian population, with governance since 2007 exercised by the Hamas administration.
