Controversy over a hunger-striking Palestinian footballer imprisoned by Israel on terrorism charges came to a head as French footballing legend Eric Cantona branded Israel “racist”.
The former Manchester United and French international player joined former Seville striker Frederic Kanoute and FIFA president Sepp Blatter in calling on Israel to release Palestinian player Mahmud Sarsak, after he embarked on an 88-day hunger strike while being imprisoned without trial.
Sarsak had previously demanded to be given prisoner-of-war status whilst in Israeli custody, but agreed to end his fast on Monday after Israel made plans to release him on July 10 He had begun to take liquids last week in preparation for ending his hunger strike.
Sarsak was being held under Israel’s Unlawful Combatants Law, which allows for Palestinians suspected of terrorism links to be detained indefinitely without charges or trial. Israel arrested Sarsak, a member of the Palestinian national football team from Gaza, in July 2009 while on his way to take part in a football match in the West Bank.
Israel accused him of being a member of the radical Islamic Jihad organisation which officially rejects Israel’s right to exist and has claimed responsibility for a number of terror attacks against Israelis.
In a letter to international football governing authority UEFA's President Michel Platini, Cantona claimed “it is time to end Israel’s impunity and to insist on the same standards of equality, justice and respect for international law that we demand of other states,” invoking the mass international protest ensuing from the organisation’s decision to allow Ukraine to host the current Euro 2012 competition, despite its history of racism in football and human rights abuses.
Criticising UEFA’s refusal to invoke a ban on Israel hosting the UEFA Under-21 competition in 2013, Cantona insisted that “racism, human rights abuses and gross violations of international law are daily occurrences in that country”.
Cantona’s attack on Israel came despite his participation in a Beach Soccer tournament in the Jewish State in 2007.
Last week, Palestine Football Association President Jibril Rajoub issued an open letter to UEFA urging them to remove Israel as host of next year’s international tournament.
Platini rejected the appeal, describing his organisation as “apolitical”, adding of Rajoub’s highly-publicised approach: “I must just say that I consider it unfortunate and misplaced to make a letter public before it has even reached the person to whom it is addressed”.
The Israeli Football Association meanwhile issued an official response to the objections, to say: “We are certain that FIFA and UEFA will not mix politics with football, and that the under 21 event will be held next summer in Israel as planned.”