After fans stopped the Ireland-Qatar match, protests against Israel increase pressure to isolate it athletically | sports

The friendly match between the Irish and Qatari football teams in Dublin last Thursday witnessed a series of protests in support of the Palestinian cause, which caused the match to be temporarily halted, amid mounting demands for the sporting isolation of the Israeli teams.

Demonstrators and fans inside and outside the stadium in the Irish capital raised Palestinian flags and banners denouncing Israeli policies. Which once again highlighted the increasing pressure faced by European and international federations to deny Israel participation in sporting events.

Republic of Ireland midfielder, Jimmy McGrath, warned that the controversy surrounding his country’s match with Israel in the European Nations League could intensify, after their friendly win over Qatar 1-0 in Dublin was disrupted by pro-Palestine protests.

Ireland is scheduled to host Israel at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on October 4, while the September 27 match, which is classified as a home match in Israel, is expected to be held in a neutral stadium.

Qatar’s match against Ireland was part of Al-Anabi’s preparations for the World Cup this summer, as they begin their campaign against Switzerland on June 13. Meanwhile, Ireland failed to qualify for the World Cup.

Tennis balls bearing the Palestinian flag were thrown onto the court in Thursday’s friendly match, causing the match to be stopped twice, and McGrath predicted more protests would follow.

McGrath told the BBC that he was “sure it will intensify in the next few months. We (the players) don’t want to be put in that situation.”

He added: “It is clearly a unique scenario. The (protesting) masses, we have to listen to them, and they have the right to do what they do, as long as it is done in a peaceful manner, that is all that matters.”

He continued: “We hope that the higher authorities above us can come up with a solution or use it for the public good. I am not sure what the process will be as the situation intensifies. At the end of the day, we are footballers and we do not want to be trapped in this matter, but sometimes we may have to.”

Irish players call for a boycott of Israel

Earlier this month, prominent Irish footballers joined other celebrities in a campaign calling for a boycott of Israel’s matches, but the Irish Football Association said it would commit to participating in scheduled matches within the European Nations League, and that refusing to play could lead to disciplinary measures.

In November last year, 93 percent of Irish Football Association members voted to pressure the European Football Association (UEFA) to freeze the Israeli Football Association from European competitions.

The Irish-Palestinian Solidarity Campaign organized a protest at the Dail (Irish Parliament) last Tuesday.

Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrímsson regularly participated in the discussion, and said before the Qatar match that his players must “win this war” against Israel in the upcoming matches.