World football governing body FIFA has said the federation will carry out an “urgent” legal assessment about the suspension of Israel from international football following a move by the Palestine Football Association (PFA) to do so over the ongoing war in Gaza.

Supported by the Jordanian Football Association, the PFA called for a vote to suspend Israel from international football during a session at the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday. PFA cited FIFA’s decision to exclude other countries for the same reason.

“How much more must the Palestine football family suffer for FIFA to act with the same severity and urgency as it did in other cases?” PFA president Jibril Rajoub said. “Does FIFA consider some wars to be more important than others and some victims to be more significant?” he queried.

“I ask you to stand on the right side of history. The suffering of millions, including thousands of footballers, deserves as much. If not now, then when? Mr President, the ball is in your court,” Rajoub added. 

Responding to PFA’s call for Israel’s suspension, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the federation would undergo an urgent legal assessment of Palestine’s allegations, and the FIFA Council would make a decision after the process concluded.

“Football should not and should never become a hostage for politics and always remain a vector for peace, a source of hope, a force of good, uniting people rather than dividing,” Infantino said.

“This legal assessment will have to allow for inputs and claims of both member associations. The results of this analysis and the recommendations which will follow from this analysis will subsequently be forwarded to the Fifa Council.”

In defence of his country, Shino Moshe Zuares, the president of the Israel Football Association, said, “We are facing a cynical political and hostile attempt by the Palestinian association to harm Israeli football.

“Seven months after the terrible day, when football matches cannot be played in large parts of Israel, north and south, and over 130 Israelis are still being held in Gaza, it is an injustice that even in these circumstances, we find ourselves fighting for our basic right to be part of the game.”