Norway’s association wants to donate the income from the home game against Israel in the World Cup qualification for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s association reacts outraged.
“Israel is involved in FIFA and UEFA’s competitions, and we have to deal with it”said Norway’s association president Lise Klaveness, according to a message from the association. “However, we would like to send the profits to a humanitarian organization that saves life every day in Gaza and actively provides emergency aid on site.” You can “The humanitarian suffering and the disproportionate attacks that the civilian population in Gaza has been exposed to for a long time”not indifferent, said Klaveness.
Norway’s association president Lise Klaveness
Norway will meet Israel on October 11th at 6 p.m. in the Ullevaal Stadium. The first leg won Norway 4-2. The game took place in the Hungarian city of Debrecen, for security reasons, Israeli teams are not allowed to play home games on their own territory for security reasons.
Israel’s association: “Make sure that the money does not flow to terrorists or the whale” “
The Israeli Football Association (IFA) reacted significantly. “Usually we do not give associations any suggestions regarding the use of income. This time we deviate from our habit”the IFA announced at the request of the sports show. The British newspaper “Telegraph” first reported on the statement. “It would be nice if part of the amount were used to achieve a conviction of the massacre from October 7 by the Norwegian football association, in which hundreds of Israeli citizens and children were killed, or to work for the release of the 50 hostages. And please make sure that the money does not flow to terrorist organizations or in the whaling.”
The Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo
The war in Gaza and Israel began on October 7, 2023 with a broad attack by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. 1,200 people were killed, numerous others were dragged into the Gaza strips and some of them still held there as hostages. Since then, Israel has attacked the Gaza Strip out of the air and with soil troops – according to its own information, to smash Hamas. The Ministry of Health in Gaza controlled by Hamas and the United Nations now put the number of people killed in Israeli attacks on more than 60,000 people.
There is more and more criticism internationally about Israel’s procedure because the suffering of the civilian population is great. The Federal Republic of Germany recently exposed arms deliveries to Israel. Canada, Great Britain and France announced the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Application for suspension of Israel at FIFA not decided
The conflict is also open in football. The Palestinian Association applied for the suspension of the Israeli Association in the World Association in Bangkok (Thailand) in Bangkok (Thailand) and repeated the demand at the 2025 Congress in Asunción (Paraguay). The reasons for this are only partially related to the Gaza War. An accusation is that of an Israeli football game in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The FIFA Council has repeatedly postponed a decision. Israel has received significant support in the committee, in which DFB President Bernd Neuendorf is also sitting. But at least primarily this support crumbles.
Uefa sent signals against Israel
At the UEFA Supercup in Udine, Italy between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur, the UEFA rolled out a large banner on the square, at the stand: “Stop killing children! Listen to kill civilians!”
Israel was not given specifically. The UEFA made it clear that Israel’s attacks were meant on the Gaza Strip. At the award ceremony, two refugee children from the Gaza Strip were allowed to stand in addition to UEFA President Ceferin. In addition, before the game, the UEFA announced that it would support three aid projects for children in Gaza with its foundation. According to the English newspaper The Times, the UEFA emphasized that the two banner does not mean a political message, but a humanitarian.
UEFA banner in Udine: “Listen to kill children – stop killing civilians”
Ceferin: “Israel is allowed to play, that is our decision for the time being”
Unlike Russia, Israel is still eligible to play. A decisive difference from a purely technical point of view for the associations: After the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, several UEFA countries announced that they were not playing against Russia. Russia was not sanctioned because of the war, but “for safety reasons” and the “Preserving the smooth running of the game operation” suspended. Such a boycott threat against Israel does not exist, at least in European football.
Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin at the Supercup in Udine with two refugee children from the Gaza Strip
Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin spoke about the topic in the Slovenian TV station RTV SLO. Israel can continue to play, said Ceferin. “This is our decision for the time being. It is very difficult for me to comment on what could happen. But basically I think that all athletes should have the opportunity to take part in competitions – and that others should be solved in other ways.”