SCORES of athletes have united with human rights groups in calling on Uefa to ban Israel over its ongoing genocide in Gaza.

More than 70 athletes, including former Manchester United footballer and France World Cup winner Paul Pogba and Spanish winger Adama Traore, have signed a letter demanding that Uefa sever ties with the Israel Football Association (IFA). 

“No shared venue, stage, or arena in international civil society should welcome a regime that commits genocide, apartheid, and other crimes against humanity,” the letter, penned by Game Over Israel, read.

“Israel’s continued impunity for such crimes will only be ended by the weight of collective conscientious action, including measures to block their entry to sporting or cultural events and activities.”

Israel’s relentless war on Palestinians has destroyed football’s entire infrastructure in Gaza — including stadiums and training facilities — and has killed at least 421 footballers. In total, nearly 70,000 Gazans have been killed, according to official figures, although the actual figure is expected to be far higher. 

The letter follows the decision by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to approve a motion to submit a formal resolution to Uefa on Israel’s suspension, with 74 members voting in favour, seven against and two abstentions.  
Uefa members Norway and Turkey have also made similar calls. 

The letter also highlights Israel’s violent occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem — a regime that the International Court of Justice says is “tantamount to the crime of apartheid” — and says that it’s using football to legitimise its occupation in those areas.

Clubs from the illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank are allowed to participate in its professional leagues, in an apparent violation of Fifa rules.

“The participation of teams from illegal settlements in Israeli football leagues is a breach of fundamental principles of international law,” Tuesday’s letter read.

“Uefa’s relationship with the IFA — providing funding and allowing Israeli teams to play in international tournaments — means that Uefa may also be facilitating these violations and may themselves be accountable.”

Uefa considered holding a vote early last month on whether to suspend Israel from European competitions over its genocide in Gaza, but the voting did not take place after a US-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10. A ban on Israel would no doubt put Uefa on a collision course with the US, which is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.

Ashish Prashar, campaign director of Game Over Israel, stated: “For [Uefa president Aleksander] Ceferin to pause his vote to suspend Israel from European football over a peace plan in name only is either grossly naive or purposefully blind.”

Last month, a row erupted in England over the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in a Europa League game against Aston Villa at Villa Park. West Midlands Police said the decision followed “intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Uefa Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Amsterdam” where Maccabi fans were heard chanting “death to the Arabs” and attacking taxi drivers.

Britain’s PM Sir Keir Starmer faced a furious backlash from Palestinian rights campaigners after he criticised the decision, saying that it was motivated by anti-semitism — despite reports from Amsterdam’s police force of the violence unleashed after the game.