“Enormous protests” could occur if Israel were to play a football match in Dublin, Richard Boyd Barrett has said.
Boyd Barrett made the comments at the start of the National March for Palestine in Dublin city centre on Saturday, reports Breaking News.
The Republic of Ireland were drawn in a group with Israel last week as part of the UEFA Nations League.
The two sides are scheduled to face each other in the autumn, with the away leg on September 27th and the home fixture on October 4th, reports Breaking News.
The Football Association of Ireland has said Ireland will fulfil the fixtures.
Boyd Barrett expressed hope that the games would not go ahead, stating: “Uefa should do the right thing,
“The FAI should do the right thing,
“But ultimately, if the match goes ahead in Ireland, I think there will be absolutely enormous protests because I think that decision would not reflect the views of the Irish people,” reports Breaking News.
He added it is “not unique” to see sporting sanctions imposed on countries involved in conflicts or internationally condemned for their actions.
“There were sanctions against apartheid South Africa, there’s been sanctions against Russia for what it’s doing in Ukraine, there were sanctions against Yugoslavia for what it was doing against Kosovo. So why is there not sanctions against Israel for the crimes it’s committing against Palestinians?” reports Breaking News.
The Dun Laoghaire TD said it is “important” to boycott Israel so it is not “normalised”.
He added: “Boycotting Israel and casting it out of the community of nations, whether it’s football or other areas, is a way that we can actually impose some sanction on Israel for the crimes it’s committing,” reports Breaking News.
On Sunday, Simon Harris said Ireland’s football team would be “losing out” if matches against Israel were boycotted.
Speaking on RTÉ radio, he said: “We have to recognise, though, when it comes to soccer, and when it comes to the Irish soccer team, not doing anything would actually disadvantage the team and wouldn’t have any effect at all on Israel,” reports Breaking News.
Last Friday, Micheál Martin also said the games should go ahead.
He said the Government had “opposed very strongly” Israeli policy in Gaza, but stressed “people have to distinguish between the government of Israel and its policies and the people of Israel, There should not be security issues for the game in Ireland and the team should be allowed play,” reports Breaking News.
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