Celebrities and footballers call on FAI to refuse to play Israel
By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association
Paul Weller, Stephen Rea, members of Kneecap and current and former football players have signed an open letter to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) calling on them to boycott upcoming matches against Israel.
The Republic of Ireland men’s football team is scheduled to face Israel in two Uefa Nations League fixtures in September and October.
The letter is part of a campaign called Stop the Game organised by the group Irish Sport for Palestine.
In it, they write that the Irish team should not participate in the matches because of “the clear and ongoing serious breaches of Uefa & Fifa statute regarding Israeli teams playing on occupied Palestinian lands”.
The letter also made the call “on the basis of a brutal system of apartheid and acts of genocide, both of which are accepted by the Irish government”.
It was published alongside a quote from Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland chairman Roberto Lopes which said: “Ireland has an opportunity here to lead – to be a pioneer and do what others won’t.
“We need to be brave enough to say enough is enough. We can’t just stand by.”
Signatories of the letter include several high-profile League of Ireland players as well as former Ireland manager Brian Kerr and former Ireland women’s captain Louise Kerr.
It is also signed by a number of figures from the worlds of arts and entertainment including Weller, Rea, Christy Moore and Frances Black.
Members of the bands Kneecap and Fontaines DC have also put their names to the letter.
In November, the FAI’s general assembly overwhelmingly approved a motion calling for Israel to be banned from Uefa over the military assault on Gaza, a call which was rejected by Uefa.
After Ireland were drawn in Group B with Israel, there were calls for the national team to withdraw from the games.
The FAI confirmed in February after “taking legal advice, engaging with key stakeholders and reflecting on our constitutional obligations” the Republic of Ireland would fulfil the fixtures.
