Ireland vs Israel: What Happened Before Kick-Off Has Drawn Attention

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Republic of Ireland players refused to shake hands with their Israeli counterparts and bowed their heads during Israel’s national anthem ahead of Sunday’s UEFA Nations League match in Hungary.

The Irish players also declined to exchange pennants with the Israeli team before kick-off, in a pre-match gesture that came amid controversy surrounding the fixture and the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.

Ireland eventually secured a 3-0 victory in the encounter.

Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said the actions of his players had brought international attention to the conflict.

“I hope that will not be in the next game because they have shown support for the protest, they have raised awareness worldwide, not only in Ireland, on the subject,” Hallgrimsson told RTÉ.

The players had held an extended meeting at their hotel in Debrecen on Saturday before voting by a significant majority to participate in the fixture.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu later withdrew from the squad, saying he believed taking part in the match and the return fixture scheduled for 4 October in Backa Topola, Serbia, would be wrong.

Hallgrimsson said Bazunu’s decision was respected by his teammates, although the timing of his withdrawal created challenges for the team.

“Nobody was questioning his decision. It was only the timing that was difficult for us to kind of react to it,” he said.

The Irish players also wore black armbands during the encounter, with Football Association of Ireland chief executive David Courell saying the gesture was meant to honour lives lost in the Gaza conflict.

After scoring Ireland’s third goal, Jack Moylan removed his armband, kissed it and then kissed the team badge.

Calls for a boycott of the Ireland-Israel fixtures have persisted since the Nations League draw in February, while the Football Association of Ireland had previously supported a motion urging UEFA to suspend Israel from its competitions.

More than 160 Irish athletes also signed an open letter calling on the national team to withdraw from the fixtures.

The FAI subsequently chose to proceed with the matches, with delegates citing concerns that a boycott could inflict significant and long-term damage on the association.

The two matches are being staged at neutral venues, with Ireland’s home fixture moved from Dublin to Backa Topola.

The controversy escalated after Hallgrimsson earlier described the team as “not playing with genocide, but playing against genocide”. He later acknowledged that the use of the word “genocide” was wrong.

Israel has repeatedly rejected allegations that it has committed genocide in Gaza, as well as accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, maintaining that its military operation is conducted in self-defence and in line with international law.

The conflict began after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to the BBC. Israel subsequently launched a military offensive in Gaza, where more than 73,000 people have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry.

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