Norwegian FA President Says Israel Should Be Suspended

OSLO – Lise Klaveness, President of the Norwegian Football Federation, has called for Israel’s suspension from international football. The request comes ahead of an expected UEFA vote this week regarding Israel’s participation in European competitions. Klaveness, who is also a member of UEFA’s executive committee, has said that sanctions against Israel are necessary, though she ruled out boycotting Norway’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel.

Norway is scheduled to play Israel on October 11 in Oslo, with a potential victory securing their place in next year’s World Cup. However, Klaveness believes that Israel should face sanctions due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. She stressed that this is a principled stance, adding that a boycott would only benefit Israel, allowing them to reach the World Cup instead of Norway.

Klaveness also made clear that UEFA is preparing to vote on Israel’s suspension from European competition. A recent United Nations Commission of Inquiry report accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, which Israel denies. Klaveness stated that, given Russia’s suspension from international football, Israel should also be excluded from competition for similar reasons.

The football president further discussed the difficulty of playing against a country involved in such a serious accusation. “It’s incredibly difficult to play against a country where the word genocide is involved,” she said. This statement comes as Israel’s military actions in Gaza have resulted in over 66,000 deaths, according to local health officials.

In response, Turkish Football Federation President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu has called for a ban on Israel from international football. Haciosmanoglu has written to FIFA, UEFA, and national football associations urging support for the suspension. The situation continues to develop as the world watches for the outcome of the UEFA vote.