[[{"content_id":421873,"content_number":0,"portal_id":2,"lang_id":"en","content_title":"Ireland players refuse handshakes with Israelis, wear black armbands in UEFA Nations League","content_rtitr":"","content_short_title":null,"content_summary":"Republic of Ireland players wore black armbands in solidarity with Palestinians martyred in Zionist regime’s genocidal war on Gaza and refused to shake hands with their Zionist counterparts before their UEFA Nations League match.","content_summary_fill":1,"content_body":"Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who captained the side in place of Dara O’Shea, deliberately avoided shaking hands with Israel captain Dor Peretz during the pre-match ceremony in Backa Topola, Serbia. Kelleher had completed the customary handshakes with the referee and one of his assistants.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe gesture echoed O’Shea’s decision before the teams’ first meeting in Debrecen, Hungary, last week, when he refused to shake hands with Israel captain Manor Solomon. Ireland won that match 3-0 after scoring three goals in the first half.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSunday’s League B Group 3 encounter ended in a 1-1 draw. Troy Parrott put Ireland ahead from the penalty spot in the 39th minute after Peretz fouled Jimmy Dunne, while Peretz equalized for Israel shortly after halftime.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe match was played behind closed doors at a neutral venue after the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) moved the fixture from Dublin in June, citing “operational reasons” amid widespread calls for a boycott in protest against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe decision to proceed with the two fixtures had faced strong opposition in Ireland. More than 160 Irish sportspeople signed an open letter urging the FAI to reconsider, while protesters gathered outside the national team’s hotel in Dublin before the first match.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe SIPTU trade union also displayed a large poster beside Dublin’s River Liffey urging the players to “Go with your conscience!” and “Don’t play with genocide.”\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIreland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson had previously acknowledged the growing pressure on the squad, saying it was approaching “a breaking limit.”\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nReserve goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu was the only Irish player to withdraw from both matches. He said it was his “personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.”\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nFormer Ireland coach Brian Kerr criticized the FAI for proceeding with the fixtures, saying the association had “lost the respect of the Irish people.”\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe FAI, however, argued that withdrawing could expose Ireland to UEFA sanctions, particularly with the country set to co-host the 2028 European Championship alongside England, Wales and Scotland.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nEarlier during Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Austria, pro-Palestinian protesters threw tennis balls bearing Palestinian flags onto the pitch, while another protester attempted to enter the field carrying a Palestinian flag.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTensions surrounding the Ireland-Israel fixtures also escalated on Saturday when an Israeli journalist accused Irish players of calling Israeli players “monkeys” during the previous match. Ireland’s communications officer Kieran Crowley immediately rejected the allegation as “a lie” and ended the news conference.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe Irish squad had reportedly voted 14-8 to proceed with the fixtures after a lengthy deliberation in Debrecen following Bazunu’s withdrawal.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIreland’s national broadcaster RTÉ has provided only limited coverage of the two matches against Israel to fulfill its contractual obligations. It has not provided studio presentation, commentary on the international feed, or analysis, and said it would not accept advertising or sponsorship around either game.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRTÉ has also announced that Ireland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year because of Israel’s participation.","content_html":"

Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who captained the side in place of Dara O’Shea, deliberately avoided shaking hands with Israel captain Dor Peretz during the pre-match ceremony in Backa Topola, Serbia. Kelleher had completed the customary handshakes with the referee and one of his assistants.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The gesture echoed O’Shea’s decision before the teams’ first meeting in Debrecen, Hungary, last week, when he refused to shake hands with Israel captain Manor Solomon. Ireland won that match 3-0 after scoring three goals in the first half.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Sunday’s League B Group 3 encounter ended in a 1-1 draw. Troy Parrott put Ireland ahead from the penalty spot in the 39th minute after Peretz fouled Jimmy Dunne, while Peretz equalized for Israel shortly after halftime.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The match was played behind closed doors at a neutral venue after the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) moved the fixture from Dublin in June, citing “operational reasons” amid widespread calls for a boycott in protest against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The decision to proceed with the two fixtures had faced strong opposition in Ireland. More than 160 Irish sportspeople signed an open letter urging the FAI to reconsider, while protesters gathered outside the national team’s hotel in Dublin before the first match.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The SIPTU trade union also displayed a large poster beside Dublin’s River Liffey urging the players to “Go with your conscience!” and “Don’t play with genocide.”<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson had previously acknowledged the growing pressure on the squad, saying it was approaching “a breaking limit.”<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Reserve goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu was the only Irish player to withdraw from both matches. He said it was his “personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.”<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Former Ireland coach Brian Kerr criticized the FAI for proceeding with the fixtures, saying the association had “lost the respect of the Irish people.”<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The FAI, however, argued that withdrawing could expose Ireland to UEFA sanctions, particularly with the country set to co-host the 2028 European Championship alongside England, Wales and Scotland.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Earlier during Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Austria, pro-Palestinian protesters threw tennis balls bearing Palestinian flags onto the pitch, while another protester attempted to enter the field carrying a Palestinian flag.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Tensions surrounding the Ireland-Israel fixtures also escalated on Saturday when an Israeli journalist accused Irish players of calling Israeli players “monkeys” during the previous match. Ireland’s communications officer Kieran Crowley immediately rejected the allegation as “a lie” and ended the news conference.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

The Irish squad had reportedly voted 14-8 to proceed with the fixtures after a lengthy deliberation in Debrecen following Bazunu’s withdrawal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ has provided only limited coverage of the two matches against Israel to fulfill its contractual obligations. It has not provided studio presentation, commentary on the international feed, or analysis, and said it would not accept advertising or sponsorship around either game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

RTÉ has also announced that Ireland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year because of Israel’s participation.<\/span><\/p>","content_source":"","content_url":"","content_date_start":"2026-10-05 09:59:47","content_date_event":"2026-10-05 09:59:47","content_date_event_start":null,"content_date_event_end":null,"content_show_title_slider":1,"content_date_last_edit":"2026-10-05 10:00:32","content_date_register":"2026-10-05 10:00:32","content_columns":0,"content_show_img":1,"content_show_details":0,"content_show_related_img":0,"content_show_slider":1,"content_comment":1,"content_score":0,"tag_id":0,"score_average":null,"score_count":null,"score_date_last":null,"uid":43,"eid":0,"attach_title":"Ireland players refuse handshakes with Israelis, wear black armbands in UEFA Nations League","attaches":[{"sizes":{"150":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202610\/575134_1387048628_150_84.webp","300":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202610\/575134_1387048628_300_168.webp","400":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202610\/575134_1387048628_400_224.webp","600":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202610\/575134_1387048628_600_335.webp","900":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202610\/575134_1387048628_900_503.webp","1200":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202610\/575134_1387048628_1000_559.jpg"},"ext":"jpg","file_media":1,"token":1387048628,"files":{"original":{"url":".\/file\/2\/attach\/202610\/575134_1387048628.jpg","width":1000,"height":559,"size":0}}}]}]]