Football chiefs make decision on Israel and Palestine gesture ahead of England and Australia clash

Football chiefs make decision on Israel and Palestine gesture ahead of England and Australia clash

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The FA have decided to respond to the conflict between Israel and Palestine by staging a period of silence before England’s friendly clash with Australia on Wednesday.

Hamas launched a series of attacks on Israel over the weekend.


They then responded by launching air strikes on Gaza with essentials such as food, water, fuel and medicine prevented from going into the territory.

And the FA have now decided to respond with a period of silence – as well as black armbands.

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A statement read: “On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine.

“Our thoughts are with them, and their families and friends in England and Australia and with all the communities who are affected by this ongoing conflict.

“We stand for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering.”

Supporters will not be allowed to bring in Israel or Palestine flags.

Instead, only ‘flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality for competing nations’ would be permitted inside Wembley.

It will be the case when England go up against Italy in a European Championships qualifier on Tuesday, too.

Officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport penned a letter to major sports governing bodies on Wednesday asking them to mark the attacks in Israel with shows of support for the victims.

The letter read: “In the light of the attacks in Israel, on behalf of the secretary of state we would encourage you to mark the events appropriately in line with previous events where sport has come together.”

In previous years, the FA have illuminated the Wembley arch in the colours of targeted nations.

They did this last year after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The FA also illuminated the arch in the colours of the French flag after the Paris terrorist attacks in 2015.

The following year, they did the same with Belgium after the Brussels bombings.

However, the FA have already confirmed they won’t be lighting up the arch in the colours of the Israel flag.

This is because they fear a backlash from some communities.

And some figures at the FA were worried the football governing body would be seen as taking sides amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Per the BBC, the Rugby Football League has also been holding talks to decide how to mark the events of the war.

Wigan are set to play against Catalans at Old Trafford in Saturday’s Grand Final.

And they’re said to be planning to pay tribute to victims with a show of support before the match.

Meanwhile, UEFA have postponed Israel’s European Championships clash with Kosovo on Sunday.

They explained the decision by saying that Israeli authorities won’t let their football team travel abroad for the match.

Israel Palestine

Israel came under attack from Hamas militants over the weekend

GETTY

Israel had also been due to host Switzerland in Tel Aviv.

That match has been pushed back until November 15 – though it remains unclear if they’ll be able to host games in the country.

Israel currently sit third in their group, behind Switzerland and Romania.

They have won three of their six matches so far, drawing two and losing another.

Belarus, Kosovo and Andorra are also in the same group.

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