Move European Under-21 Football Championship to England from Israel

Posted on 3 February, 2013

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The reigning champions, Spain, at 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. Image by henrikalexandersen/Wikimedia.


Ex-footballer and now-President of UEFA Michel Platini.

Ex-footballer and now-President of UEFA Michel Platini. Image by Archive of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland.

Michel Platini, president of Europe’s footballing authority UEFA, recently said that “football is enormously popular everywhere, in all corners of society, which gives it not only the opportunity but also the responsibility to try and help make the world a better place.”

So why, then, did Platini grant Israel the opportunity to host a gathering of European countries to contest the European Under-21 Football Championship?

In June this year, and 7 months after its murderous offensive in Gaza with Operation Pillar of Cloud, Israel will host the 2013 European Under-21 Football Championship. Eight countries, including England and Spain, will battle it out for the trophy.

The reigning champions, Spain, at 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. Image by henrikalexandersen/Wikimedia.

The reigning champions, Spain, at 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. Image by henrikalexandersen/Wikimedia.

Perhaps Platini granted Israel the opportunity because Israel is a benevolent host – just ask the Ethiopian Jews who live there. Ethiopian women were ‘kindly’ administered birth control shots without their knowledge. Prominent Israeli politicians join street demonstrations shouting ‘Blacks out’ and refer to Blacks in Israel as ‘cancers’ and ‘infiltrators’. Very benevolent and very considerate, you’ll agree.

The racism doesn’t stop there. MPACUK reported last year that “a high-profile religious-Zionist rabbi asserted that Jews from North Africa and the Middle East are “purer” than European Jews, but are no match for them intellectually. Moroccan Jews and other non-white Jews, predominantly those from Arab and African lands, have suffered extensive discrimination in the past and generally reside in poorer areas of Israeli cities and are denied the opportunities available to European and western Jews.” Considering the overt racism and the fact that the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises travellers to ‘avoid all travel to parts of country’, it would be extremely difficult for UEFA and the English Football Association to be in a position to guarantee the safety of England’s Black and Muslim fans who wish to travel to Israel to watch England play.

So why, then, did Platini grant Israel the opportunity to host a gathering of European countries to contest the European Under-21 Football Championship?

Freddie Kanoute. Image by FAMSI/Wikimedia.

Freddie Kanoute. Image by FAMSI/Wikimedia.

Since Israel was announced as host there have been a number of calls to boycott the tournament or for Platini to reverse his decision. One well-known petition is organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. In the text of the petition it reminds Platini that “Hosting an international sporting competition is an honour. However, there is nothing honourable about the actions of Israel towards the Palestinian people. Your damaging decision sends the message that UEFA has no issue with the illegal and discriminatory treatment of Israel towards the Palestinian people.”

MPACUK would go further and demand that the tournament be moved to England, especially after the Jewish Chronicle reported that, after a bus bomb attack in Tel Aviv that led to the cancellation of a Europa League match, UEFA were considering asking the English Football Association to be on standby to host the tournament if the offensive in Gaza continued. Moving the tournament to England would also guarantee the safety of all spectators, something that can’t be guaranteed in Israel.

Another petition was started by ex-Tottenham Hotspur player Frederic Kanoute and gained media coverage. His petition was in addition to a letter signed by numerous personalities calling for Israel to release from prison the Palestinian footballer Mahmoud Sarsak. Sarsak had been imprisoned for nearly three years with no charge before being released. It is clear that considerable opposition to Israel hosting the tournament exists.

So why, then, did Platini grant Israel the opportunity to host a gathering of European countries to contest the European Under-21 Football Championship?

The tournament will be played in four cities – Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Netanya and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is known for its famous, or infamous, Beitar Jerusalem Football Club. The club is known for not allowing any Arab Muslim players to join their team. Even non-Arab Muslims attract the venom of their fans. Electronic Intifada recently reported that “fans of Beitar Jerusalem have been involved in racist rampages, sparked by the signing of Gibril Kadiyev and Zaur Sadayev, two players from Chechnya. Beitar fans object on the grounds that the players are Muslim; there’s even video footage to prove it.

Electronic Intifada report: “The mob can clearly be heard shouting “Death to the Arabs” (mavet la’aravim), “Death to Arcadi,” (arcadi met) a reference to club owner Arcadi Gaydamak, and “A Jew has a soul and an Arab is a son of a whore” (yehudi ze neshema, ‘aravi ze ben zona).”

Last March Beitar fans were also caught on video as they rampaged through the same mall assaulting Arab workers and shouting “Death to the Arabs.”

The behaviour of Beitar Jerusalem fans won’t please Platini, who announced that referees have powers to react to racist chants from fans with a variety of measures. Considering some spectators at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem will be Beitar fans, and allied with the racism described above, there is a fear that racist chants could be directed to Black and Muslim players, or indeed Black and Muslim spectators.

So why, then, did Platini grant Israel the opportunity to host a gathering of European countries to contest the European Under-21 Football Championship?

Moving the tournament to England would be the best solution as Israel seems to be too volatile a place for a gathering of teams and fans from across Europe in what is a celebration of football. The English Football Association celebrates its 150th anniversary this year – hosting the tournament would be a fitting celebration. Move it to England.

Let UEFA know you want the tournament moved by contacting them:

Tweet UEFA: @UEFAcom

Email UEFA: marion.haap@uefa.ch (Michel Platini’s PA) and info@uefa.com

Write to UEFA:
UEFA
Route de Genève 46
Case postale
CH-1260 Nyon 2
Switzerland

Originally published at MPACUK

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