A Mayo View: Why the Repubic of Ireland is right to play Israel

"What effect would a boycott have on the actions of the Israeli government or the plight of the Palestinians?

by Nathan Keane

Soccer has constantly been in the national news headlines in recent weeks.

Unfortunately for us fans, it has nothing to do with participation, or lack thereof, in the ongoing World Cup - due to the heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to the Czech Republic.

Irish football has been in the spotlight for more political reasons. We are scheduled to play Israel twice in the upcoming Nations League group stage in September.

However, the FAI, alongside the government, have come under massive pressure to abandon the fixtures, and refuse to play Israel, due to the ongoing war in Gaza.

In the end, it was announced that the games against Israel would go ahead, but Ireland’s home tie will be played behind closed doors at a neutral venue.

However, this move has not been near enough for those in the ‘Stop the Game’ campaign, who want the matches to be completely boycotted.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, a fervent disciple of this cause, described the news that the game would be played at a neutral venue as a “cowardly decision."

Many agree with her assessment.

I, personally, find myself in the minority who think that the FAI made the right decision to not abandon the fixtures.

Firstly, I think it is important that we look at the implications of boycotting the matches.

It would very likely see Ireland relegated to League C of the Nations League, due to the immediate loss of six points.

While that fact is unlikely to matter much to those in the ‘Stop the Game’ movement, what could ruffle their feathers is that Ireland forfeiting the matches would give Israel six free points, which would greatly increase the likelihood of them winning the group.

If that happens, they will automatically get a play-off spot to qualify for Euro 2028, which - get this - Ireland is co-hosting.

What would happen in this situation? Would the ‘Stop the Game’ campaigners want Ireland to give up its hosting duties for fear Israel would end up playing in Dublin?

Think about the implications of this in terms of tourism as well as football. Would they want Ireland to boycott if they came up against Israel in the group/knockout stages?

In short, this campaign might end up affecting Ireland much deeper than just the Nations League.

I can imagine what someone who disagrees with this article might be saying: ‘It’s not about football, it’s about genocide’, ‘Ireland should send a message to Israel by standing up for what is right’ - so on and so on.

While this sounds like a strong moral position at first, I think under scrutiny it becomes very idealistic.

What effect would a boycott have on one, the actions of the Israeli government, and two, the plight of the Palestinians?

It is nearly six months ago now since Israel closed its embassy in Dublin, and Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar described the Irish government, and Simon Harris, as “antisemitic."

I fear that a boycott would only further Israel’s confirmation bias that Ireland is an obscene, ‘antisemitic’ nation (not that I believe that it is, it goes without saying).

People are horrified by what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank, we all are. People feel powerless watching the endless violence and barbarity of Israel’s actions, in Palestine and against Iran and Lebanon.

But putting this anger into a sporting boycott campaign is not going to change anything.

Because once it starts, where does it stop?

The example I mentioned earlier of Euro 2028 should be heeded.

It is not the Israeli players, coaches or staff who are responsible for the actions of their government.

Keep politics out of football.