Sinn Féin calls on IFA to cancel match with Israel to show solidarity with Palestinians

Sinn Féin Foyle MLA Raymond McCartney has welcomed calls made by a party colleague  for the Irish Football Association to cancel an international friendly match with Israel.

Sinéad Ennis, Sinn Féin Culture Arts and Sport spokesperson, has asked the IFA to withdraw from the match on Tuesday September 11.

Raymond McCartney said: “Sinéad met with the IFA and asked them to reconsider the international friendly with Israel.

“She made this call on the back of the recent massacre of over 100 demonstrators and the maiming of thousands more by the Israeli army.

“Sinn Féin support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel under which cultural, academic and sporting links fall.

“The international community should be standing up to the Israeli state for the indiscriminate slaughter and ongoing discrimination against Palestinians.

“We are calling on the IFA to cancel this match and send out a strong signal that the slaughter of Palestinians in the open-air prison which is Gaza, is completely unacceptable.”