Despite calls for its suspension due to military actions, Israel has retained its UEFA membership thanks to the active intervention of the United States and a number of influential football organizations. The issue of exclusion is currently off the agenda. This is reported by the publication Israel Hayom, writes UNN.
Details
After several weeks of tension and discussions surrounding Israel's possible exclusion from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), a decision has been made in favor of the Israeli side. Qatar actively promoted the idea of removing Israel from European tournaments, but diplomatic pressure from Washington and the position of a number of football associations allowed sanctions to be avoided.
Thus, the club "Maccabi Tel Aviv" will be able to play its debut match in the Europa League against Greek PAOK, as planned. UEFA representatives confirmed that the issue of Israel's exclusion "is currently not on the agenda."
At the same time, on Tuesday, several junior advisors to the UN Human Rights Committee publicly called for Israel's exclusion from football competitions under the auspices of UEFA and FIFA. However, their position is purely advisory, as the body has no official powers in the field of sports, and the statements do not reflect the position of the UN.
The key task for Israeli football remains participation in the March Nations League draw. However, as analysts note, the prospects depend on the political situation: if the war continues, the issue of exclusion could return at any moment.
Israel has temporarily retained its place in European football, but "the battle for participation in international tournaments is far from over."
Addition
Despite a minimal 1-0 victory against Israeli "Maccabi", Kyiv's "Dynamo" failed to qualify for the group stage of the Europa League, and as a result, the Dynamo players will continue in the main stage of the Conference League. If the Israeli team had been excluded from the competition, the Kyivans would have had a chance to continue playing in the Europa League - a tournament of a higher order than the Conference League.