Palestinian FA Defends Handshake Refusal at FIFA Congress

A senior member of the Palestinian Football Association said President Jibril Rajoub’s refusal to shake hands with his Israeli counterpart at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver “represents every free Palestinian” and honors victims of violence in Gaza and the West Bank. Tayseer Nasrallah described the gesture as a principled stand against what he called Israeli government crimes, adding that Israeli football leaders are part of a system complicit in violations. Rajoub later posted a video affirming his decision as a matter of national dignity. The Palestinian FA has long objected to Israeli clubs operating in settlements deemed illegal under international law, and recently filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport after FIFA declined to act. While FIFA fined the Israeli association for discrimination, it stopped short of banning settlement clubs, a move Palestinians say undermines the credibility of global football governance.

Source: Newstimehub