01.05.2026 17:17
FIFA President Gianni Infantino's attempt to have the Israeli and Palestinian football representatives shake hands on stage for a "peace" message turned into a crisis. Palestinian Football Federation President Jibril Rajoub openly rejected the request and left the stage. The incident caused tension in the hall and received widespread coverage in the international press. Infantino's long-debated stance has once again become the focus of criticism following this event.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino's attempt to bring together Israeli and Palestinian football representatives on the same stage has sparked debate in the international public opinion. The incident that took place during the FIFA Congress organized in the World Cup process has brought the limits of sports diplomacy back to the agenda.
TENSE MOMENTS ON THE FIFA STAGE
According to reports in the international press, at the 76th FIFA Congress held in Vancouver, Infantino invited Palestinian Football Federation President Jibril Rajoub and the Vice President of the Israeli Football Federation to the stage, intending to have a symbolic handshake. However, Rajoub rejected this invitation and refused to appear on stage together with the Israeli representative. The incident caused brief tension in the hall.
HE LEFT THE STAGE, REACTIONS ROSE
According to some sources, Rajoub argued with Infantino on stage, expressed his reaction clearly, and left the stage. While the Palestinian side emphasized that this rejection was based on political and humanitarian grounds, the incident resonated widely in the international sports community.
INFANTINO’S STANCE UNDER RENEWED CRITICISM
It is known that Infantino has long emphasized the narrative that “football is a tool for peace” in the Israeli-Palestinian issue. However, FIFA's distant approach to demands for sanctions against Israel had been criticized before. While this latest attempt is seen as "forced diplomacy" by some circles, it has reignited debates about Infantino's neutrality.