Abstract
ABSTRACT This article explores FIFA’s attitude in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from an institutional perspective from 1920, when a provisional mandate over Palestine was granted to the British government, which coincided with the structuring of football there, to the present time. FIFA’s working rules serve as a guideline for this study because they set out how the international football association interacts with national associations. Attempts at political interference are as old as the development of football in Palestine under the British Mandate. We examine these and the reaction of FIFA which has always claimed neutrality on political matters. It appears that, between 1920 and the creation of Israel, FIFA’s position was rather accounted for by an internal logic. Then, once Palestine was divided in two parts, one for Jews and one for Arabs, external events became the main explanatory factor. Ultimately, FIFA has made the preservation of the football pitch its priority. Barring exceptional circumstances, it intervenes in the political field only when this sanctuary is threatened.
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