Middle East

Argentina cancels pre-World Cup match with Israel

PFA president Jibril al-Rajoub sent a letter to Argentinas government asking that the football match not include superstar Lionel Messi (AFP)

A friendly football match between Argentina and Israel in Jerusalem has been cancelled, according to Argentine media, a PLO spokesperson and an Argentinian striker.

"They've finally done the right thing," striker Gonzalo Higuain said in an interview with ESPN on Tuesday, confirming reports the game had been cancelled following political pressure.

The match in Jerusalem's Teddy Kollek Stadium was to be Argentinas final game before they kick off their World Cup campaign against Iceland on June 16 in Russia.

Both national football teams have yet to make an official announcement of the cancellation, but the Argentine outlet Minuto Uno reported that the Argentina Football Association (AFA) will formally call off the match.

In addition, a PLO spokesperson told Middle East Eye that the match has been cancelled.

Palestine Football Association (PFA) president Jibril al-Rajoub will reportedly make an official announcement about the cancellation on Wednesday at a press conference in al-Bireh International stadium followed by an event in front of the Argentinian Representative Office to Palestine in the West Bank, according to the PLO spokesperson.

On Tuesday, the PFA issued a statement asking for the match to be indefinitely suspended.

“By accepting to play a friendly match with Israel in the occupied city of Jerusalem, the Argentinian Football Association risks flagging itself ineligible and unworthy of hosting the world cup in 2030, should it intend to win the bid,” the statement read.

“The fact that this match is scheduled to happen in this particular time and location, following the international condemnation, and the uproar in the Arab and Muslim world at the US Administrations decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, will undoubtedly send a message that the stars of Argentina are lending legitimacy to the illegal actions of an occupation that systematically abuses the human rights of around 5 million Palestinians struggling under its yoke,” it added.

The stadium that would have hosted the match is in West Jerusalem. The Palestinians have agreed in several agreements to claim the eastern part of the city as the capital of a future state that will include the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The match, scheduled for 9 June, faced calls for a boycott from various groups. Last week, MK Yousef Jabareen, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, met with Argentinas ambassador to Israel and asked for the game to be cancelled.

"I stressed that the game, in the wake of the killing of the Palestinians in Gaza and the relocation of the US. embassy to Jerusalem, sends a dangerous message to the Israeli government that the world ignores its gross human rights violations. [Lionel] Messi cannot turn his back on the Palestinian victims," said Jabareen, according to an Israel National News report.

PFA president Rajoub also sent a letter to Argentinas government asking that the football match not include superstar Lionel Messi.

“This match has become a political tool. The Israeli government is trying to give it political significance by insisting it be held in Jerusalem,” Rajoub said.

“Messi is a symbol of peace and love. We ask him not to participate in laundering the crimes of the occupation,” he added.

Argentina has made four previous pre-World Cup stopovers in Israel since 1986. Most countries do not recognise either Israel's or the Palestinians' sovereignty in Jerusalem and have embassies to Israel in the Tel Aviv area. However, Guatemala and Honduras followed the US head in moving their embassies last month.

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