TEL-AVIV: Israel’s football association has promised to take all possible measures to beat off an attempt to have it suspended from world football writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

The original threat from the Palestinian federation and its president, Jibril Rajoub, was stifled last year on the eve of the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo.

Last week, however, Rajoub signed off on a Palestinian federation proposal to that end and to be put before to the 2015 FIFA Congress in Zurich on May 29.

The Palestinians were complaining that no progress had been made, even with the work of a mediation committee, to achieve significant process on issues such as free movement of athletes between the territories.

Israel responded with a defiant statement of its from president Ofer Eini.

He said: “The IFA believes that FIFA and its president, Mr Sepp Blatter, and the other presidents of the various federations and associations, will not approve a proposal which is trying to mix up sport and politics in a way that utterly contradicts the aims and ambitions of the game.

“The IFA chairman, Mr Ofer Eini, is taking all measures to ensure that the status of Israel and Israeli football will not suffer and this is a top priority.

“Bans and sanctions run contrary to the FIFA mission and we are acting to find a solution in a way of a dialogue. Football should be a bridge between nations and not enforce separation.”

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