0
Failed publicity stunt at FIFA congress: Israel & Palestine football bosses reject handshake
May 1, 2026
Posted 2 hours ago by
A FIFA publicity moment in Vancouver sparked controversy after President Gianni Infantino brought representatives of Israel and Palestine onto the stage and encouraged them to shake hands. The gesture led to an awkward scene when Palestinian Football Association chief Jibril Rajoub refused. A deputy later said they could not shake hands with someone they accused Israel of sending to “whitewash” its actions.
Al Jazeera’s Andy Richardson reports. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X : https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #FIFA #GianniInfantino #Vancouver #Israel #Palestine #FootballPolitics #SportsDiplomacy #FIFACongress #MiddleEast #Controversy #AlJazeeraEnglish
Al Jazeera English
Coverage and analysis from Qatar. All insights are generated by our AI narrative analysis engine.