Palestinian Soccer Executive Refuses to Shake Hands with Israeli Counterpart 

posted on: May 13, 2026

By Jake Harris / Arab America Contributing Writer

The 76th FIFA Congress was an annual event where heads of soccer associations across the world met. Over 200 national associations met in Vancouver, Canada to discuss a wide range of issues in the sport. A significantly awkward moment occurred when FIFA President Gianni Infantino tried to curate a handshake between Palestinian FA President Jibril Rajoub and Israeli FA Vice President Basim Sheikh Suliman. Rajoub adamantly refused to shake the hands of his counterpart. Rajoub has pushed for FIFA to sanction Israel and suspend them from competition, applying the same standards that were applied to Russia after their invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Basim Sheikh Suliman offered to shake hands arguing for the separation of sport and politics. 

Media Criticism

From the outset, there has been significant criticism of Infantino for trying to manufacture the public embrace. TalkSport, a popular British Radio Station, held a segment where the hosts discussed Infantino’s mindset during the situation. Simon Jordan, who is a regular guest on the show suggested that Infantino is “drunk on influence”, and that the tone deaf attempt to force a handshake was a result of FIFA overestimating their importance as a mediator. The New York Times recently reported that FIFA officials requested a police escort in Vancouver normally reserved for world leaders. FIFA have vehemently denied the reporting. Jordan formerly owned a professional soccer club himself and has been a consistent critic of FIFA in recent years.

The consequences, particularly for Rajoub, that a handshake would have had on his reputation amongst the players for the Palestinian national team, and the people of Palestine is obvious. Rajoub acknowledged that he understood Infantino wanted to bring people together, and bridge gaps but added that his insistence on the handshake shows a lack of understanding for the sheer scale of Palestinian suffering. The Norwegian Football Association, who have been outspoken on Gaza for some time, have called for an investigation into Gianni Infantino for ethical concerns. This stems from Donald Trump being awarded the “FIFA Peace Prize” at the Group Stage draw for the World Cup in Washington, DC. The handshake snub only reignited Norway’s opposition to the recent decisions made by the FIFA president. 

Photo-Op Speculation

The Athletic wrote an article that highlighted speculation that the handshake attempt may have been a pre-planned photo opportunity. Their sourcing on the matter provided mixed messaging as to whether it was planned. Some FIFA Sources anonymously said it was pre-planned, others either denied or deflected. 

Palestinian FA Appeals for Sanctions

In Rajoub’s speech to the FIFA Congress, he criticized FIFA for not applying sanctions to the Israeli FA for soccer clubs operating in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Football Association is involved in ongoing litigation related to the matter. They appealed the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the end of April. This court is the highest in the world when it comes to disputes involving sports. They famously acquitted English club Manchester City after they were banned from European competition for two years after allegations of financial breaches. Palestinian soccer officials have labelled the appeal as a last resort following continued lack of action from FIFA. 

International sports governing bodies continuously have to walk a tight rope when it comes to involvement in political conversation. FIFA is in a unique position due to their governance of the world’s most popular sport. They are an organization with over 200 member nations. Many of these countries have poor relations off the field. Despite the idea of an idealistic world in which sports remain in a bubble of optimism, some global issues become too large to separate. Ignoring issues of this magnitude can create a sense of tone deafness. The Ukraine War is only the most recent example of a geopolitical development that forced FIFA’s hand. Palestinian soccer argues that what has happened in Gaza deserves the same level of urgency.

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