We are talking about genocide.

Sentiment score: 0.00

As of 6 May 2026, more than 72,600 Palestinian had been directly killed by the Israeli invasion of Gaza. Thousands of those were women and children. The United Nations and many humanitarian organisations believe the Gaza health ministry’s figures to be a significant under count with thousands of Gazans still unaccounted for. In 2025, Israel bombed at least six countries – Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria and Yemen. It also carried out strikes in Tunisian, Maltese and Greek territorial waters on aid flotillas heading for Gaza with no consequences for it. The decision by UEFA to allow Israel, a non-European country, to participate in the European Nations League despite the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank is disgraceful. UEFA defends its stance by claiming that politics should play no part in sport but, hypocritically, has no problem in banning Russia from the competition. FIFA, UEFA and the Irish Government should not have put the football association in the position in which it finds itself. The issue of whether the game gets played should never have reached this point but now that it has, the FAI needs to take a stand and refuse to participate. The Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy O’Donovan, have said they would not attend the game. The Minister of State said that because he knows it is wrong. Worst of all is the FAI talking about playing the game at a neutral venue, removing the people’s right to protest. The issue is not where the game is played. The Israeli presence is the issue. We should not carry on as normal while Gaza is being devastated. Thousands of men, women and children have been killed with no regard for international law or human rights. Refusing to play South Africa in rugby played a major part in isolating the apartheid regime there. A similar stance should be taken in relation to soccer and Israel. If football authorities can act in one conflict but not another, people are entitled to ask why. All we are asking for is not to play the game – other countries will follow – and to not shake their hands or listen to their anthem. Ireland refusing to play Israel would not end the suffering in Gaza but it would be a statement heard far and wide. Let us show Israel the red card and stop this game.

Sentiment score: -0.16