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VANCOUVER — A tense confrontation unfolded at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver on Thursday when FIFA President Gianni Infantino attempted to stage a symbolic handshake and photo between the heads of the Palestinian and Israeli football associations — only to be met with an emotional refusal from the Palestinian official.
Jibril Rajoub, President of the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), firmly declined Infantino’s request, declaring that his people are “suffering” from the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza and the West Bank.
🛑 ‘When the Suffering Stops, We Will Shake Hands’
Footage from the congress shows Infantino approaching Rajoub and gesturing toward Israeli FA Vice-President Shua Ben-Zvi, apparently urging Rajoub to stand alongside him. Rajoub refused, instead delivering a brief, impassioned speech.
“We are suffering. We are suffering. That is the reality. When this suffering stops, maybe we will shake hands. But not today.”
— Jibril Rajoub, President of the Palestinian Football Association
Rajoub accused Israel of committing “apartheid and genocide” in Gaza, referencing the ongoing war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and destroyed much of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure .
Rajoub is a longtime advocate for Israel’s suspension from FIFA. In 2015, he pushed for a vote to ban Israel from international football over its restrictions on the movement of Palestinian players, a move that was ultimately withdrawn after FIFA agreed to a mediation process .
The Israeli government has rejected accusations of apartheid and genocide, pointing to Hamas’s use of human shields and its refusal to release hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, attack . Rajoub’s refusal to stand with Ben-Zvi drew applause from several delegates representing African and Arab nations.
⚽ Infantino’s Damage Control
Infantino, visibly uncomfortable, attempted to salvage the moment. He placed his arm around Rajoub and, in an effort to defuse the tension, shook Ben-Zvi’s hand himself while hugging Rajoub.
FIFA has consistently maintained a policy that “football should not be mixed with politics,” yet the organization has been unable to escape the geopolitical turmoil engulfing the Middle East.
🔮 What Comes Next
Rajoub has indicated he intends to submit a formal complaint to FIFA’s Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Committee, accusing the Israeli FA of complicity in “war crimes.” The Israeli FA has dismissed the complaint as “baseless political theater.”
With no ceasefire in sight and the death toll in Gaza continuing to mount, future “unity gestures” at sporting events are likely to be met with similar resistance—or outright rejection.
The FIFA Congress moves on to other business, but the image of Rajoub’s refusal, and of Infantino’s unsuccessful peacemaking, will linger as a powerful symbol of the sport’s inability to transcend the conflict.
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