Last night’s passing of the FAI motion in favour of proceeding with Ireland’s Nations League fixtures against Israel is not reflective of public sentiment and will only increase support for the Stop the Game campaign, according to Social Democrats sports spokesperson Daniel Ennis.
Deputy Ennis said:
“The outcome of the vote at last night’s EGM is deeply disappointing and is not representative of the views of ordinary football fans or the public.
“Sportswashing is a known method for apartheid states to distract from breaches of human rights and other unethical conduct. We cannot normalise Israel’s war crimes by allowing it to participate in sporting events on the world stage.
“Ireland had an opportunity to show leadership by boycotting these fixtures. The outcome of last night’s vote now unfairly places the decision to proceed with the games on the shoulders of the players. This has put them in an invidious position.
“Moving the home fixture to Serbia will do nothing to quell opposition to these games. All it does is deny people in Ireland to right to protest on home soil – but it will only embolden supporters of the Stop the Game campaign.
“Sport can be a unifying force that transcends politics – but not at the cost of tens of thousands of Palestinian lives. We cannot turn a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza or its illegal occupation and atrocities in the West Bank for fear of being fined or losing points in a football competition.”
July 9, 2026