ISRAELI settlement clubs have grown in number, size and stature under Fifa and Uefa’s current leadership, a new report has said.
Research conducted by Scottish Sport for Palestine found that the number of illegal settlement clubs have increased from nine to 10 in the Palestinian West Bank, the majority of whom also have offices there.
“Beyond the Green Line: Israeli settlement clubs in occupied Palestine” noted that there are several clubs in contravention of Fifa and Uefa’s statutes and international law, but have been allowed to compete.
Hapo’el Oranit, Maccabi Oranit, Ironi Ariel FC, Beitar Ma’ale Adumim FC, Beitar Nordia Jerusalem, FC Jerusalem, Hapo’el Bikat Hayarden, all have offices in the Palestinian West Bank.
Hapo’el Jerusalem has an office in the occupied West Bank and is suspected of running tournaments in East Jerusalem.
Beitar Moatza Ezorit Mate Binyamin, and FC Bney Raanana Uzi Cohen both have “newly discovered offices on Palestinian land”.
Three Israeli clubs – MMBA Golan Football Club, Merkaz Kehilati Qatzrin and Vatikey FC MMCBA Hagolan Vehaglil – are now playing in and have offices in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
New clubs and teams have also formed in recent years, with Hapo’el Jerusalem now having a men and women’s team in the Israeli Premier League.
The Uefa Foundation gave Hapo’el Jerusalem 320,000 euros from 2020-2023 while its women’s team were playing in Har Homa, East Jerusalem, while the US Government gave the team $2.4 million from 2019. The funds appear to be channelled through the owners’ address in Har Adar, a West Bank settlement, according to the report.
It comes after Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin were accused of abetting war crimes in a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in February, for allowing the inclusion of Israeli settlement clubs.
One project, the Neighbourhoods League, may be in East Jerusalem – a possible breach of FIFA and UEFA statutes, researchers said.
The report said that by including these clubs in their structures, Fife and Uefa’s leadership is “sustain, legitimise and promote settlements and contributes to the transfer of civilian populations, including footballers, into an occupied territory”.
This, it suggests, is contravention of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which relates to the transfer of a party’s own civilisation into an occupied territory.
“These clubs also implement a system of apartheid, prohibited under Article 7(1)(j) of the Rome Statute,” Scottish Sport for Palestine said.
“Palestinians are denied access to facilities built on their land and excluded from using them for business, sport or leisure.
“The findings may support a complaint recently filed at the International Criminal Court alleging Gianni Infantino and Aleksander Čeferin’s complicity in war crimes and crimes against Humanity.”
The report notes that both Fifa and Uefa have statutes which “forbid member associations from playing games in another association’s territory without their approval”.
“Equally, they have statutes which prohibit discrimination of any kind,” the report adds. “Violation of these statutes should be a trigger for the sanctioning of a member state.
“Yet despite clear breaches of these anti-discrimination and territorial integrity provisions, the Israel FA continues to have football clubs implementing a system of apartheid on Palestinian land. They are also operating clubs in the Golan Heights on occupied Syrian land.
“All of these operations are in violation of international law.”
The report noted that under the leadership of Infantino and Čeferin illegal settlement clubs “continue to be given the space to thrive”.
“Their games are being broadcast by Fifa+ and their teams and players enjoy Uefa competitions,” it adds. “Rather than threatening the Israel FA’s status within world football, it is evident today that illegal settlement clubs enjoy special treatment from Israel’s Premier League clubs and the highest protection from Fifa, Uefa and the Israeli and US government.
“Often under the guise of social inclusion initiatives, all of these organisations – and more – have helped to prop up and support these clubs over the years. This has helped facilitate their continued growth in parallel with the current and planned expansion of illegal settlements in occupied Palestine.”
Fifa and Uefa have been contacted for comment.
