A tense moment unfolded at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, when Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestine Football Association, publicly refused to take part in a photo opportunity with Basim Sheikh Suliman, a senior official from the Israel Football Association. The incident took place after both men had addressed delegates during the gathering.
At the end of the session, FIFA President Gianni Infantino invited Rajoub and Suliman to stand beside him for a photograph. However, Rajoub declined and did not respond to repeated efforts to bring him into the frame. During the exchange, he could be heard saying, “We are suffering,” highlighting the pain and frustration felt by many Palestinians over the ongoing situation.
The disagreement reflects a wider dispute between the Palestinian and Israeli football authorities. The Palestinian Football Association has recently taken its case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, challenging FIFA’s refusal to take action against Israeli clubs based in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian officials argue that these clubs should not be allowed to compete in leagues run by Israeli football authorities because the settlements themselves remain highly controversial under international law.
Rajoub later told reporters that FIFA must begin applying its rules with fairness, logic, and justice. He said that sports facilities in Gaza have been destroyed and that many Palestinian athletes and sports workers have been killed. According to him, football cannot be separated from human suffering when an entire sporting community is being affected.
He also criticised the remarks made by the Israeli representative, saying there was no recognition of Palestinian pain during the congress. Rajoub made it clear that this was the reason he refused both the handshake and the photo opportunity.
The incident has once again placed FIFA under pressure, as calls grow louder for the organisation to respond more firmly to disputes involving human rights, occupation, and the role of sport in politically sensitive regions.
