Arab Organization for Human Rights in the UK condemned the participation of FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the opening ceremony of the "Friedman Center for Peace by Power", which was held last Monday in occupied Jerusalem. Infantino talked about the possibility of holding the 2030 World Cup in "Israel" alongside side with neighboring countries such as the United Arab Emirates, in order to encourage normalization.
This came in an urgent letter sent by the human rights organization, based in the British capital, London, to FIFA, and a copy of it was received by Arabi 21.
The organization indicated that “the FIFA president committed a grave and complex mistake in his participation in this ceremony, as if he was unaware of the crimes that Israel commits daily.”
The statement said: “The participation of the FIFA president in such a celebration and making such statements indicates a lack of awareness of the dangers that may result from it, as he in one way or another showed that an ancient football institution like FIFA is a supporter of a country that commits all kinds of crimes, foremost of which is settlement.”
The organization called on the FIFA to open an urgent investigation of what Infantino did, to apologize to the Palestinian people and the football community, and to pledge to keep football away from the complexities and problems of politics, within the framework of respecting the basic principles of human rights.
The organization indicated that the rules governing the International Football Association prohibit it from engaging in political affairs and supporting any entity that violates its laws.
The statement said: “FIFA is entrusted with organizing football tournaments according to the regulations and laws away from political quarrels, and its duty is to prevent governments from interfering in the affairs of local federations, so how can the President of FIFA support an occupying entity that has oppressed and besieged a people for decades!”
The statement added: "The FIFA President knows that Israel is an occupying power that commits many crimes, foremost of which is settlement, so it would have been better for him to refrain from meeting any government agencies or participating in political celebrations that offend football and raises questions about the confusion of football with politics and its support for the perpetrators of serious crimes.”
The organization drew attention to the fact that “the UAE is not interested in spreading peace in the region, as evidenced by its crimes committed in Yemen and Libya, its support for dictatorial regimes in the region, and its investments in Israeli settlements, which constitute a war crime, in addition to the suppression of freedom of opinion and expression, and the arrest of activists and opponents, both men and women.”
The organization stressed that “the victory of any country to organize the World Cup is subject to strict regulation that depends on competition between countries, and the country that presents the best project for the establishment of the tournament is chosen based on technical and sporting criteria in the first place. The selection of the organizing country for the tournament has nothing to do with political issues, and the state’s record in the field of human rights should play a big role in determining the winning country.”
Infantino participated in a ceremony organized by the Friedman Center for Peace by Power, on Monday, in the inauguration of the "Museum of Tolerance" located on the grounds of the a'man Allah Cemetery in Jerusalem. The center aims to expand the scope of the Abraham Accords normalization agreements.
The a'man Allah Cemetery, which is located west of the city of Jerusalem, is considered the oldest, largest and most famous cemetery in the city. Israel has built tourist facilities and buildings on parts of it, including the Museum of Tolerance.