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Ireland's football governing body has given the green light to submit a formal motion to Uefa, demanding the exclusion of Israeli football from continental club and international competitions.

Basis of the Recommended Suspension

This motion, that had been put forward by Dublin club Bohemians, cited alleged breaches by the Israel Football Association of two important European football regulations.

• Inability to apply and uphold an effective policy against racism.
• Organisation of football teams in disputed territories without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association.

Ballot Results and Next Steps

According to an announcement from the Irish FA, the proposal was supported by 74 votes, with 7 against and two not voting.

They plans to formally submit this request to the Uefa executive committee, seeking the immediate suspension of the IFA from European tournaments.

During a special assembly of the Football Association of Ireland, an standard motion was posed to delegates. It was approved by a large margin.

Earlier Uefa Considerations

Uefa had earlier paused intentions to ban Israeli football at the close of last month, following the revealing of a US peace proposal for the region.

Although Uefa never officially confirmed contemplating an special session on the issue, plans were believed to be well developed.

International Backdrop

The FAI move follows comparable calls in September from the leaders of both Turkey and Norway's governing bodies for Israel's suspension from international competition.

These appeals were made after United Nations experts asked world and European football bodies to ban the Israeli FA, citing a UN investigation that claimed Israel of committing genocide during the Gaza conflict.

The Israeli government has rejected these claims and labeled the findings as scandalous.

Potential Consequences

Should Uefa decide to ban Israel, it would likely strain relations with the United States government – co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup – which strongly opposes such an action.

Even though Uefa has the authority to exclude Israeli teams from its tournaments, it might not be able to stop them from competing in qualification for the World Cup, which is governed by Fifa.