From Mother Jones · Alex Nguyen · · 1m
Irish fans demand Israel match boycott
Ireland soccer team faces pressure to cancel matches with Israel amid Gaza violence
In brief
Ireland soccer team faces pressure to cancel matches with Israel amid Gaza violence Ireland's players voted to play despite public protests over Israel's actions in Gaza Originally reported by Mother Jones.
Public protests against match
Over 100 Dublin protesters held signs demanding cancellation of Ireland-Israel games due to Gaza violence
“NO GAME. OUR TEAM. OUR VALUES”
Match venue details
Ireland plays Israel in Hungary and Serbia with minimal Irish supporters expected
Ireland's historical stance
Ireland supported Palestinian statehood in 1980 and has boycotted events over Israel
Player vote decision
Most Irish players voted to play despite protests and boycott calls
Player statements
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu left team over moral stance against Gaza violence
“My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong”
Soccer association response
Ireland's FA will wear black armbands but skip pre-match rituals
Political reactions
Irish PM supports match while socialist critic calls it a stance against genocide
“You can’t play against genocide; the best statement against genocide is not playing”
In short
Ireland's players voted to play despite public protests over Israel's actions in Gaza
