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Senior Fatah official Rajoub: Israel “works according to a fascist governmental plan, a government that is typical of Nazism”

Fatah Central Committee Secretary and Chairman of the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) Jibril Rajoub: "This is a blatant violation when they [Israelis] organize an official [football] league on lands that are not Israeli lands. Even the Israel [Football] Association did not dare to claim: “These lands belong to us.” The one [Israel] who brings in politics and makes sport political is the one who works according to a fascist governmental plan, a government that is typical of Nazism. We have rights, and we will continue to demand them at the FIFA court in accordance with all the laws and regulations, and also the laws of Switzerland where FIFA is located."

Rajoub made these comments following the FIFA Council’s announcement on Oct. 27, 2017 that it had decided to reject the Palestinian Football Association's (PFA) request to sanction Israel. Since FIFA’s Israel-Palestine Monitoring Committee was created to examine only the claims of the PFA against Israel, It would appear that while rejecting the Palestinian claim, FIFA’s Council attributed considerable weight to the complaint submitted by Palestinian Media Watch against the PFA and its president Rajoub for glorifying and inciting terror, for racism and Antisemitism. FIFA therefore decided to “refrain from imposing any sanctions or other measures on either the Israel FA or the Palestinian FA, as well as from requesting any other FIFA body to do so. The matter is declared closed..." [FIFA Council statement, Oct. 27, 2017]

Rajoub also holds the following positions: Head of the PLO Supreme Council for Sport and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Palestine Olympic Committee, and Chairman of the Palestinian Scout Association (PSA).


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