This article by Eoin Ó Murchú first appeared in Unity, the weekly publication of the Irish Communist Party.
THE decision by UEFA to allow Israel (a non-European country) to participate in the European Nations’ Cup competition despite the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank is deplorable.
UEFA defends its stance by claiming that politics should play no part in sport. But, hypocritically, has no problem in banning Russia from the competition because of its military effort to stop NATO aggrandisement in Ukraine.
UEFA has put the Football association of Ireland (FAI) in a very difficult spot. As a small, underfunded organisation, the FAI is especially vulnerable to the threats from UEFA of fines and expulsion from the competition unless it is willing to turn a blind eye to genocide and go along with the matches it is now to play with Israel.
Nevertheless, the FAI has made the wrong decision.
Refusing to play South Africa at rugby played a major part in isolating the apartheid regime there, and a similar approach should be adopted in relation to soccer and Israel.
The FAI would suffer, but it would keep its honour, and that of the Irish people. Someone has to be the first to say ‘no’, it is immoral to pretend that Israel is a normal state like any other’.
The intervention of the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, is even more scandalous. Blankly, without explanation, he declared that the FAI should go ahead with the fixtures. He didn’t even suggest that it should do so because of the financial loss the FAI will suffer, but because – wait for it – Ireland does not have a policy of boycotting Israel.
The truth is that he and his government have no such policy. The overwhelming majority of the Irish people are appalled at what Israel has done and is doing in Palestine, and stand unequivocally with the Palestinian people.
Martin and his government, meanwhile, drag their heels on the Occupied Territories’ Bill and try to water it down. They are terrified of upsetting the US, especially with Martin about to visit the White House for St Patrick’s Day.
The St Patrick’s Day access for Ireland to the White House is an important and valuable occasion for Ireland, but, important valuable as it is, we should not abandon our principles for it.
Ireland – whatever about Martin – disagrees with US support for Israeli genocide and we should never tone that down, even if we seek to use the St Patrick’s Day event to advance our interests. Israel is increasingly a pariah state among the nations of the world, but Ireland needs to step up to the plate to push this forward.
If the FAI were to take the correct step, this would put pressure, not only on UEFA, but on other European nations to follow suit.
Many fans have indicated their intention – if they attend the match – to display Palestinian flags to indicate their solidarity with that long-suffering people. But UEFA is threatening, not just to financially penalise Ireland if we refuse to fulfil the fixtures but also if fans make political displays at the matches.
Fines, in this regard, have already been imposed on Celtic football club in Glasgow.
Fans should not be intimidated by this. We should not be cowed, but make it clear that we stand in solidarity with Palestine. Many will boycott the matches in protest, but those who do attend should make their protest there as well.
Similarly, it is unconscionable that RTÉ, or any other Irish broadcaster should televise these matches if they go ahead.
Ireland’s displeasure at UEFA’s decision and at UEFA’s threats against us should not be ignored by Irish broadcasters. They too should show solidarity with Palestine.
Irish soccer will pay a heavy price for doing the right thing, and the government should seek to give the FAI proper financial support to make up for any losses it may suffer.
But doing the right thing is more important than any potential loss of money. Loss of self-respect would be a much higher price.