Sepp Blatter will visit Israel tomorrow to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before talking to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, in an attempt to end what he calls his “biggest challenge.”

Palestine have been calling for a vote to expel Israel from football’s governing body.

But Blatter, who is currently running for a fifth term as Fifa president, is opposing the vote in hope that Israel makes it “easier for Palestinian and foreign footballers and sports equipment to get in and out of the Palestinian territories.”

Blatter said last week: “A solution is only a realistic proposition when those who are privileged are prepared to concede something and contribute to equality.

“The onus in this respect is on Israel with its outstanding infrastructure, fully functioning professional league and economic context.”

But Red Card Israeli Racism Campaign feels that a compromise won’t be reached and that the only solution is to suspend Israel from Fifa.

A letter signed by former UN special rapporteur Richard Falk, Palestinian refugees’ champion Salman Abu Sita and a number of progressive writers, film makers, politicians and activists calls on Fifa to take action when at its congress on May 29, where a possible new Fifa president will be elected.

“Palestine took to the pitch at January’s Asian Cup to standing ovations from football fans of all nations. Their very appearance at the tournament was a heroic achievement in light of the obstacles faced by the team. No thanks are due to the IFA.

“It has stood shoulder to shoulder with Israel’s murderous regime while Palestinian footballers have been shot, beaten, bombed and incarcerated along with their fellow citizens. And its only response to the day-to-day obstruction of travel, tournaments and the development of facilities has been to repeat the much-abused mantra of “security concerns.”

“The IFA welcomes teams from illegal settlements into its leagues and competitions. It has racially segregated part of its national children’s league incurring legal action.

“It has never once disciplined Beitar Jerusalem FC for that club’s long-standing apparent ban on the hiring of Arab players or taken serious action to curb the notorious anti-Arab violence of its supporters.

“Two years of diplomacy have failed to secure change and Fifa must now take punitive action in defence of its humanitarian ethos. Its 30-year exclusion of South Africa from its ranks provides a precedent for the action that is required.

“The lesson, surely, is that there can be no ‘positive engagement’ with apartheid — only principled opposition.

“Fifa owes it to all Palestinians to uphold their right to fully access football by supporting the call from the Palestinian FA for suspension of IFA.”