GENEVA 

The UN experts on Monday called on FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel's national football team from international competitions, saying it is a "necessary response to address the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory."

"The conclusion of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel, that Israel is committing genocide is the latest in a growing number of international bodies affirming that genocide is being committed," the experts said. They recalled that the International Court of Justice's interim order of Jan. 26, 2024, reminded every country of its legal duty to act against genocide.

"Sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual," they said. "Sporting bodies must not turn a blind eye to grave human rights violations, especially when their platforms are used to normalize injustices."

The experts clarified that the call targets the state of Israel and not individual players, saying: "We have always maintained that individuals cannot bear the consequences of the decisions their government makes."

They further urged FIFA to "stop legitimizing the situation arising from Israel's unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," stressing: "There is a legal and moral imperative to take every measure possible to end the genocide in Gaza now."