The Palestinian football official who questioned Israel’s participation in the FIFA World Cup has claimed the decision to deny him a visa to Australia was politically motivated.
Palestinian Football Association president and head of the team’s FIFA committee, Jibril Rajoub, will not join up with his national team before a qualifying match in Perth on Tuesday.
He told ABC News from Ramallah in the West Bank that he believed there was “some kind of Israeli influence on this decision.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday the decision was made “remotely” by the Immigration Department.
“I think it’s a political decision, it’s a shame for those who made such a decision… I should attend the match, I should be with our team,” Rajoub said.
Australia will face Palestine in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Perth Rectangular Stadium on Tuesday.
Mr Rajoub spoke out last month against Israel’s participation in the competition, saying it systematically violated FIFA’s objectives.
The governing body of world football at the time postponed vote on motion to temporarily suspend Israel about his actions in the Gaza conflict.
Israel Football Association (IFA) president Shino Moshe Zuares responded to Mr Rajoub by saying it was an “injustice… to fight for our basic right to be part of the game”.
“Make no mistake, the IFA has never violated the rules set by UEFA or FIFA and will never do so in the future,” Zuares said.
In addition to his role as chairman of the Palestinian Football Association, Mr Rajoub is also a well-known member of Fatah and a former aide to former Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
Mr. Rajoub spent several years in Israeli prisons before being released in a prisoner exchange in the 1980s.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz described Mr Rajoub on X, formerly known as Twitter, as a “convicted terrorist” who had been “banned… from entering the country” by the Australian government.
“Rajoub, who praised the Hamas massacre on October 7 and called for a similar massacre in Judea and Samaria, is not fit to attend international soccer matches. He should instead stay in the Muqata and play wall ball,” Katz wrote on Sunday.
Mr Rajoub said the Palestinian national team was “hesitant to even play” after its visa was denied. (ABC News: Haidar Jones)
Mr Rajoub had previously said the minister had made “serious threats of imprisonment” against him after the FIFA motion in May.
He said he had been to Australia in 2008 and 2015, so the visa refusal this year was a “stupid and ridiculous decision”.
“There is someone, somewhere within the Australian government, acting under pressure or influence from the stupid and crazy Israeli government,” he said.
“It’s not fair to deny me the right to be part of our national team.”
A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson responded to an ABC request for information about Mr Jibril’s case by saying: “The department does not comment on individual cases. All non-citizens applying for a visa to enter Australia are considered on a case-by-case basis against legal requirements.”
The ABC understands Mr Jibril’s visa was rejected because of an omission in his application and is unrelated to anything he has said since the October 7 attacks.
“Another kick in the guts,” according to the community
Former Socceroo player and human rights activist Craig Foster has said he supports a FIFA ban on Israel until it complies with rulings by the International Court of Justice and the UN Security Council.
“The important thing is that Australia welcomes the Palestinian national team and shows its support for a people who have suffered decades of occupation and violence so horrific that, for much of the world, it can be described as genocide.”
Craig Foster has called on Australia to show its support for the Palestinian national team. (Provided)
Australian Palestinian Defence Network chairman Nasser Mashni said Mr Rajoub’s visa refusal came as a “huge shock” and “real concern”.
“Palestinians, Palestinians in Australia and their supporters were looking for a moment to escape the genocide that we have seen, to celebrate sport, to celebrate humanity, to see how the world game is played here in Australia and frankly this is another kick in the gut,” Mr Mashni said.
“A lot of our community has flown to Perth, come from Melbourne and we’re all coming out for a while, maybe a few hours, to enjoy a respite from the genocide.
“We will come together and celebrate our adopted country, Australia, but also our country of origin and place of origin, Palestine.”
Nasser Mashni of the Australian Palestine Defence Network is in Perth to watch the match tonight.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled earlier this year that Israel must do everything in its power to prevent its troops from committing genocide in Gaza.
Israel has rejected South Africa’s accusations of genocide against it at the court.
The Gaza Health Ministry said that since October 7, Israel has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians.
The Israeli government said 1,200 Israelis were killed in the Hamas attack.
Football Australia’s national governing body said it was aware of Mr Rajoub’s situation but it was up to the government to resolve it.
“Football Australia welcomes the Palestinian men’s national team,” a spokesperson said.
“In line with our responsibilities as a host member association, we provide visa assistance to all visiting football delegations and will continue to work with the Australian Government to facilitate the arrival of football stakeholders.”
Mr Rajoub said Palestinian players were “even hesitant to play” after learning he would not be able to join them in Australia, following months of Israeli bombing and disruption.
“Our sports facilities in Gaza have all been destroyed, hundreds of people have been killed, hundreds have been arrested, injured or are still missing,” he said.
“The restrictions have forced us to suspend all sporting activities, including the national league.”
Editor’s Note (17/6): This article has been updated to include the ICJ’s findings from earlier this year and Israel’s denial of genocide.
