UN panel makes stance clear amid calls for Israel to be banned from the World Cup

They issued a statement yesterday

Calls for Israel's expulsion have grown over recent months, most recently Manchester United legend Eric Cantona accused the global community of holding double standards for the Middle East nation.

Cantona said: “Four days after Russia started a war in Ukraine, Fifa and Uefa suspended Russia. We are now 716 days into what Amnesty International have called a genocide. And, yet, Israel continue to be allowed to participate."

Now a panel of experts appointed by the United Nations have been the latest to call for Israel to be banned from competing.

The panel made a statement on Tuesday (23 September) that reads: "Sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual.

"Sporting bodies must not turn a blind eye to grave human rights violations, especially when their platforms are used to normalise injustices."

The call comes just weeks after a UN independent inquiry came to the conclusion genocide is being committed in Gaza, for which the state of Israel bears responsibility.

The UN panel's statement on the status of the Israeli football team went on to say: “We are clear that the boycott must be addressed to the State of Israel and not to individual players.

"We have always maintained that individuals cannot bear the consequences of the decisions their government makes, so there should be no discrimination or sanctions against individual players because of their origin or nationality.

“National teams representing States that commit massive human rights violations can and should be suspended, as has happened in the past."

It ends: “Once again, we urge FIFA to stop legitimising the situation arising from Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,”

“There is a legal and moral imperative to take every measure possible to end the genocide in Gaza now.”

It is currently unclear whether the UN panel are also calling for Israeli club sides to be prohibited form competing as well as the national team.

Premier League side Aston Villa are due to play Maccabi Tel Aviv at Villa Park in November.