New York Mayor Backs Irish Boycott Calls Against Israel

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has expressed support for the Irish public's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, following a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. When asked if he would encourage an Irish boycott of upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Israel, Adams praised the Irish people's solidarity with Palestinians but deferred the decision to them. "When we look for examples of solidarity in New York, the answer is often the Irish," Adams stated, acknowledging their commitment to human dignity and rights, particularly for Palestinians, which he finds commendable.

The question to Adams arose after comments made by Ireland's coach, Heimir Hallgrímsson, who declared, "We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide. We are playing against Israel, not with it." The Football Association of Ireland responded by calling his remarks "stupid, ignorant, and hypocritical." Prime Minister Martin sided with the coach, asserting that Hallgrímsson's statement reflected global understanding of Israel's actions.

Hallgrímsson later acknowledged that his remarks had diverted attention from his team's upcoming match against Kosovo. Prior to this, over 160 Irish athletes had signed a letter urging the national team players to boycott the games against Israel. Irish broadcaster RTÉ announced it would air the matches without a studio or commentator due to boycott calls.

The first match is scheduled for Sunday in Hungary. Ireland's home game, originally set for October 4th in Dublin, has been moved to Serbia and will be played without spectators. Interim captain Dara O'Shea indicated that the team would convene after their match against Kosovo to discuss their approach to the Israel games, including pre-game handshakes.

Adams' comments come in the wake of his own public criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Adams recently labeled a "war criminal" and "architect of horrific genocide against the Palestinian people." Netanyahu, in turn, accused Adams of supporting Hamas and inciting hatred against New York's Jewish community.