by Our Sports Desk

FOOTBALL’S world governing body Fifa said yesterday that it would hold talks with the leaders of the Palestinian and Israeli associations in the coming days after the Palestinian FA called for Israel to be suspended.

The Palestinians had sought a discussion on the matter at the Fifa congress to be held at the end of the month, which Fifa agreed to on Monday.

They want Israel suspended from world football because of the effects its occupation has on Palestinian football, including harsh restrictions on the movement of footballers in Gaza and the West Bank.

“Footballers have been targeted, shot and maimed, shot and killed, jailed and tortured, stadiums bombed and players and fans have been refused permission to travel to matches,” Palestinian football head Jibril Rajoub said earlier.

The Palestinians defied Fifa President Sepp Blatter’s wishes by pushing for a vote of 209 member countries on May 29 in Zurich.If a ballot is allowed, it will need two-thirds of members to back it.

Blatter told Israeli representatives yesterday that “any member association that is fulfilling its statutory duties should not be suspended.”

The Israeli federation has said the issues are political and beyond its control.

If suspended, any Fifa funding would be cut off and Israeli clubs and its national team would be barred from international matches.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas showed Israel the red card for racism on Tuesday, when he was joined by Tokyo Sexwale of anti-racism group Global Watch.

Sexwale, an anti-apartheid activist who was jailed on Robben Island by the South African regime, said: “It is unacceptable that a situation prevails within Palestine and between Israel of hostility that also finds itself on the sporting field.”