Palestinian Football Federation Denies Plans for Youth Friendly with Israel

The Palestinian Football Federation, led by Jibril Rajoub, issued an official statement on Thursday addressing recent rumors about organizing a friendly match between the Palestinian and Israeli under-15 national teams under the auspices of FIFA.

The statement clarified that the federation has not received any formal notification or proposal from FIFA regarding such a match.

It further emphasized, "We have been clearly informed that no announcement or arrangement has been made for any match of this kind."

The federation underscored its unwavering position, rejecting any involvement in initiatives or attempts aimed at imposing a false sporting reality with an entity that daily commits severe violations against Palestinian athletes and systematically targets Palestinian sports infrastructure and individuals.

"We categorically reject any attempts to use sports as a tool to cover up these violations or to whitewash a reality that is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. What occurs on the ground cannot be separated from any sporting activity, and any talk of matches in this context is a blatant disregard for the truth," the statement added.

The federation highlighted that in just the past three years, Palestinian sports have lost over 1,000 athletes, including former national team captain Suleiman Al-Obeid and karate champion Naghm Abu Samra.

"These figures are not mere statistics but reflect the extent of suffering and targeting faced by the sports sector in Palestine," the statement noted.

It also affirmed that the federation’s priorities are clear and publicly declared: protecting players, defending their rights, and pursuing justice and accountability according to FIFA regulations and the principles of the Olympic Charter.

"We continue our legal and sporting efforts to ensure Israel is held accountable for its ongoing violations of these laws," the statement concluded.

"The Palestinian Football Federation will remain committed to its national and sporting responsibilities and will not be distracted by attempts to divert attention from the fundamental issues affecting the existence and future of our athletes," it affirmed.