Soccer-Palestinian FA chief hits out at Israeli counterpart at FIFA Congress
By ReutersReuters
Soccer Football - 76th FIFA Congress - Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, Canada - April 30, 2026 Jibril Rajoub, President of the Palestine Football association reacts on stage as Moshe Zuares, President of the Israeli football federation and FIFA President Gianni Infantino look on REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier
Jennifer Gauthier
Reuters
Soccer Football - 76th FIFA Congress - Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, Canada - April 30, 2026 FIFA President Gianni Infantino shakes hands with Jibril Rajoub, President of the Palestine Football association as Moshe Zuares, President of the Israeli football federation looks on during the congress REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier Jennifer Gauthier Reuters
Soccer Football - 76th FIFA Congress - Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, Canada - April 30, 2026 FIFA President Gianni Infantino shakes hands with Jibril Rajoub, President of the Palestine Football association during the congress REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier Jennifer Gauthier Reuters
VANCOUVER - Palestinian soccer federation President Jibril Rajoub refused to shake hands with Israel FA Vice-President Basim Sheikh Suliman in a heated moment at the FIFA Congress on Thursday.
Both men were called to the stand by FIFA President Gianni Infantino but Rajoub declined to shake hands with Arab-Israeli Suliman.
Asked what Rajoub said when he refused to shake hands, Palestinian FA Vice-President Susan Shalabi, who was in the room, told Reuters: "I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide! We are suffering."
Israel has denied committing genocide in Gaza.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.
This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 1:34 PM.
