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LONDON: Amnesty International urged FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations to suspend the Israeli Football Association until the latter excludes settlers’ clubs in the occupied West Bank from competing in the Israeli leagues.

Agnes Callamard, the secretary-general of Amnesty International, called on Wednesday for the suspension of the IFA as Israeli forces “continue to perpetrate genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip” since late 2023.

The Israeli national team is currently competing in the European qualifiers against Norway and Italy for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the US next summer. Additionally, the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv is participating in the Europa League.

UN officials and figures from the football world have increased pressure in September on FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from international football tournaments, describing it “as a necessary response to address the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory.”

This week, UEFA has postponed a vote on banning Israel from European football following US President Donald Trump’s plan to address the ongoing war in Gaza.

“Over 800 athletes, players and sports officials are among the more than 65,000 people Israeli forces have killed in a deliberate campaign of wholesale devastation, forced displacement and starvation of civilians (in Gaza),” Callamard wrote in a letter addressed to Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, and Aleksander Ceferin, the president of UEFA.

Amnesty International said that there are six football clubs based in settlements in the West Bank that play in the Israeli leagues. These include two clubs in Ariel settlement, Beitar Givat Zeev Shabi, Beitar Maaleh Adomim, Hapoel Oranit, and Hapoel Jordan Valley, according to a report by Human Rights Watch.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are deemed illegal under international law following its military occupation of the territory in 1967. Last month, Israel failed to comply with a UN General Assembly resolution to withdraw from the area within 12 months, as instructed by the International Court of Justice, which ruled that Israel’s presence there is “unlawful.”

“At the same time, Israel is brutally expanding its illegal settlements and legitimizing illegal outposts in the West Bank as part of its unlawful occupation of Palestinian Territory. It is nothing short of a disgrace that the IFA is still allowing clubs from these settlements to keep playing in its leagues, after multiple warnings for more than a decade,” Callamard wrote.

Amnesty International said that settlers’ football clubs competing in Israeli leagues violate international law and FIFA’s rules, which state: “Member associations and their clubs may not play on the territory of another member association without the latter’s approval.”

Suspending the IFA would mean that Israeli national and club teams would be barred from participating in international competitions until it complies with international law and FIFA statutes, according to Amnesty International. The IFA would also lose its membership and voting rights, and neither FIFA nor UEFA would provide any funding.

“There should be no place in football, or indeed in any sport, for clubs based in illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” Callamard added.

“The IFA is shamelessly contributing to Israel’s violations of international law by providing sporting and economic opportunities that help sustain these illegal settlements.”

The Palestinian Football Association filed a formal complaint to FIFA in March 2024 about Israeli violations and has accused FIFA of failing to take action against these violations.

Israeli attacks on Gaza have devastated the football infrastructure and sports facilities, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of athletes, including 69 who participated in Olympic sports.

In August, the football community mourned the loss of Suleiman Al-Obeid, 41, who was killed during an Israeli attack on people waiting for humanitarian aid. Al-Obeid earned the nickname “the Palestinian Pele” due to his impressive career, in which he scored over 100 goals.

RIYADH: A video for a newly launched campaign, “You Got This,” featuring Saudi national team head coach Herve Renard, begins with a solitary figure running — at first alone, then gradually joined by others, until the crowd itself carries the Frenchman forward. 

It is not only a metaphor for Renard’s philosophy, but also an apt reflection of his training methods and the unity he believes is key to ����ֱ��’s dream of returning to the World Cup. In October, his team will take on Indonesia and Iraq in the fourth round of AFC Qualifiers, top the three-team Group B, and head to the tournament co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico next summer. 

“It’s very good support,” Renard told Arab News at the launch of the Adidas campaign. “I think (the whole) country will be behind us. We know what they are expecting from us, but we are also expecting from them to support us. From the first gun to the last one. And together, we have to do it.”

It’s a powerful call to arms, and hearts. For Renard, running is more than fitness; it’s his thinking space, his strategy room, and his sanctuary.

“If I don’t run, I’m not feeling comfortable,” he said, explaining how his solitary runs are moments of mental preparation. “I never use music when I’m running. I’m always thinking about what I have to say, what maybe I didn’t do well before, what I have to improve, or what I will say to the players. Always to anticipate what’s coming.”

Renard is, in essence, consistently debating with himself — mentally rehearsing every team talk, every tactical shift, every outcome.

“As a coach, we also like the pressure,” he said, acknowledging the weight of expectation. “It’s some adrenaline, you know? The competition. If there is no pressure in football, it’s not the same.”

But there is one thing that keeps his compass steady: positivity.

“At the end, we are always thinking, we will be so happy, this is the most important (thing).”

If Renard, in the campaign, is the lone runner at the start, the Saudi crowd is the thunder that roars behind him. The energy of the supporters at home fixtures has often been transformational for his players.

“This is fantastic. Especially when we play in Jeddah,” Renard said. “The atmosphere can be incredible. But I always tell the players (that) the fans will follow us if we show them we are determined, if we are motivated. The first actions come from us.”

It’s a two-way relationship built on belief. The team feeds off the passion of the fans, and in return, the fans draw strength from the fight of their players. It’s no surprise that the memory of that famous 2-1 victory over Argentina at the 2022 World Cup still echoes in every chant.

“Always remember this game,” Renard added, his voice trailing into nostalgia. “But the focus is to try to do the same in the near future.”

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup looming and qualification rounds nearing conclusion, Renard’s attention is firmly on the immediate task of securing ����ֱ��’s place on the global stage once again. Recent friendlies against North Macedonia and Czechia have, according to the coach, been pivotal on and off the pitch for his squad.

“The spirit was fantastic,” Renard stressed. “We changed five players for each game, but the spirit was the same — the way we started, the way we finished. We didn’t treat them as friendlies. We were already thinking about October.”

And the evolution isn’t just about the senior squad. With ����ֱ�� set to host the 2034 World Cup, the development of young talent is becoming more crucial than ever.

“The league is getting stronger,” Renard said. “So, it’s good for some Saudi players. Now they need to compete more. They are playing with very big players. That (will) bring them some experience.

“I’m sure they will get it. And they will be stronger for the future.”

Renard’s leadership is not flamboyant. It is thoughtful, relentless, and quietly commanding — like a long-distance runner who never stops moving forward. In his words and his work, there is always purpose.

“Let’s do it together,” he concluded, returning once more to that image of unity. “It’s a collaborative kind of work.”

From the quiet moments of introspection on a solitary run to the roar of the stadium in Jeddah, Renard is leading a collective sprint toward a future that holds both challenge and promise. And in true Saudi fashion, the whole nation is running with him.