May 29/2015

The Shameful Act of Politicizing Sport

This week we witnessed a shameful example of an organization with a worthy agenda and global mission being tragically distorted for the sole purpose of bashing the state of Israel.

Today, FIFA – the international soccer association –was scheduled to vote on suspending the Israel Football Association from the world body, while I am pleased that Israel’s international effort proved successful and a compromise was reached. It is all too often the case that the Palestinian Authority seeks to poison the international arena and use it against Israel.

This Palestinian provocation joins the unilateral steps that the Palestinians are taking at other international institutions. So long as they take these steps they will only push peace further away instead of bringing it closer. The State of Israel is interested in a peace that will ensure security for its citizens but this will not be achieved through coercion and distorting the truth. The only way to achieve peace is to begin negotiations.

At a time when the international community is calling for confidence-building measures, the Palestinians are once again replying with an attempt to carry out unilateral steps that harm the ability to advance a regional settlement. The shameful politicizing of sport which took place this week is the most recent example of that ongoing conduct.

Shabbat Shalom,

  

Yaron Sideman
Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region