FIFA has once again delayed its decision regarding the Palestinian bid to suspend Israel from international soccer amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
This latest postponement continues the uncertainty surrounding the proposal, which has been a point of contention between the Palestine Football Association (PFA) and the Israel Football Association (IFA).
FIFA announced on Friday that it will now consider the PFA’s proposals against the IFA in October.
The PFA initially submitted its request in May, leading FIFA to order an urgent legal review and schedule a discussion for July. However, the review has been pushed back to October.
FIFA confirmed that it has received the independent legal assessment of the PFA’s proposals and will forward it to its council for discussion at the October meeting.
The organization did not provide details about the assessment or specify the exact timing of the October meeting.
The PFA’s proposal accuses the IFA of being complicit in international law violations by the Israeli government, discrimination against Arab players, and including clubs in its league that are located in Palestinian territories.
The IFA has denied these allegations.
The PFA has reported that at least 92 Palestinian players have been killed in the conflict, and has noted the destruction of football infrastructure, suspension of leagues, and the requirement for its national team to play World Cup qualifiers abroad.
The PFA has called for FIFA to impose “appropriate sanctions” on Israeli teams, including the national team and clubs.