PA 'Peace Team' players to be punished
Palestinian Football Association plans to punish players who participated in 'Match for Peace' with Israeli counterparts in Barcelona last week. Response irresponsible, annoying, source at Peres Peace Center says
The Palestinian Football Association plans to punish players under its jurisdiction for participating alongside Israelis in a "Peace Match" in Barcelona, an official said Wednesday.
A "Peace Team" of Israeli and Palestinian players lost 2-1 to Barcelona at the Nou Camp last week in front of 31,820 spectators, including many dignitaries.
'Peace Team' in Barcelona. A message of peace (Photo: Reuters)
"The Palestinian Football Association will form a committee to investigate the players who participated in the match ... everyone involved will be punished," senior FA official Jamal Zaqout told Reuters.
"We act in accordance with the attitude of our people who are against normalization (of relations with Israel) before the end of the occupation," Zaqout said.
Fifteen Israelis, including many internationals and 12 Palestinians from the West Bank joined up for the match sponsored by Israeli statesman Shimon Peres's Centre for Peace foundation.
Zaqout, who is based in the Gaza Strip, said the five West Bank players who competed, including national team member Khaldon Fahd would be subject to the investigation.
The official Palestinian national team and their Israeli Arab coach Azmi Nassar were participating in a tournament in Qatar at the time, losing to Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
PA chairman gave his blessing
A Peres Centre spokeswoman said the Palestinian FA's reaction was "irresponsible and annoying".
"The Peres Centre together with its Palestinian partner, the Abu Sukar Centre, received the blessing of Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and (his senior security adviser) Jibril Rajoub for the match," spokeswoman Michal Eldar said.
"The match in Barcelona was an unprecedented event in which we managed to convey to the world the message of peace and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians," she said.
A spokesman for the Israel Football Association (IFA) said it had approved the participation of its players.
Israel's FA has been generally supportive of its Palestinian counterpart, which became a full FIFA member in 1998.
The IFA helped Palestinian players receive permits to leave Gaza for overseas matches when Israel controlled the coastal territory before pulling out last September.
