IHRC and Citizens International have joined forces with 60 organisations from all over the world to demand that the world footballing body, FIFA, ban Israeli teams from all international competitions in the light of the country’s apartheid system and ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The letter, sent today, calls on FIFA to suspend Israel in the same way that it suspended Russia from international competitions in response to its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

A suspension is the first step towards an eventual expulsion from world fooball. The South African FA was suspended by FIFA in September 1965, and expelled from FIFA in 1976 for its operation of an apartheid political system.

FIFA is the governing body for world football and seeks to develop the game worldwide. But the organisation states that it holds philanthropic responsibilities and uses football as a tool to encourage social integration amongst communities around the world.

To date Israeli forces have killed over 31,000 people in Gaza, more than 70% of them women and children. Israel has attacked residential homes, schools, hospitals, ambulances, mosques and churches and even fleeing civilians.

The onslaught is so indiscriminate and destructive that Israel has found itself hauled before the International Court of Justice to answer charges of genocide. In fact, the scale of the horrors being inflicted on the largely defenceless Palestinian population far surpass the human cost of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The letter states: “It is therefore surprising that while both UEFA and FIFA suspended Russia from all competitions in 2022, they continue to turn a blind eye to Israel with the result that its teams continue to participate freely in international competitions. We are sure you will agree that applying a different yardstick to Israeli actions undermines your credibility and exposes you to allegations of political bias and hypocrisy.”

The full text of the letter is available to read here.

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For more information or comment please contact the Press Office on (+44) 208 904 0222 or (+44) 7958 522196 or email media@ihrc.org