Ireland Soccer Team to Wear Black Armbands Against Israel

The Irish national soccer team will play against Israel on Sunday in the Nations Cup, but players will not shake hands with their Israeli counterparts and will wear black armbands. The decision was made after a vote by the Irish players regarding participation in the friendly match, as announced by the Football Association of Ireland CEO, Jonathan Hill. Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi responded by recalling Ireland's decision to perform a Nazi salute in a 1939 match in Berlin, stating that "above the black armbands the Irish players will wear tonight flies the black flag of jihadism."

Ireland canceled its pre-match press conference and training sessions on Saturday to hold the vote, according to Reuters. However, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu announced he would not play, citing his personal beliefs against the killing of innocent people and stating his stance is not against the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the "crimes happening in the region." He added that representing his country is important but participating in the match against Israel would be a mistake based on his faith.

The match had been controversial since February. While the Irish Football Association's board had called on UEFA in November to suspend Israel from the competition, a decision was made in July to proceed with the games as scheduled. Hill stated that after a player expressed discomfort, a vote was held in the last 90 minutes, with a large majority deciding to play. The Israeli Football Association welcomed the decision to play, emphasizing the need to separate politics from sports.

Ashkenazi further criticized the Irish team's decision, drawing a parallel to their 1939 match against Germany in Bremen, where players reportedly gave a Nazi salute to "honor the hosts" during the German anthem. He commented, "The unique Irish talent for being on the wrong side of history remains. Then they gave a Nazi salute. This time they are clearly on the side of Palestinian terrorism. Above the black armbands the Irish players will wear tonight flies the black flag of jihadism."

The match is scheduled to take place at 9:45 PM in Debrecen, Hungary.