Tensions at Ireland team press conference ahead of Israel match

The Ireland coach's press conference on Saturday in Serbia, on the eve of a football match against Israel, was cut short after new tensions with Israeli journalists around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ireland has been a long-time supporter of the Palestinian cause, and the double confrontation this fall between its selection and Israel, within the framework of the League of Nations, has already sparked several controversies.

After threats of a boycott of the first leg by Irish players to protest against the war waged by Israel in Gaza, the first meeting was finally held as planned on September 27 in Debrecen, Hungary, Israel being unable to host on its soil due to the security situation.

During this match, won by Ireland (3-0), the Irish players wore an armband, and they ostensibly lowered their heads during the Israeli anthem. Before kick-off, there was no exchange of pennants or handshakes between captains.

While the return match took place on Sunday in Backa Topola, Serbia - the Irish Federation having refused to host on its soil for security reasons - it was the pre-match press conference of the Ireland coach which gave rise to new tensions.

According to images from AFPTV, these began when a journalist questioned Heimir Hallgrimsson, the Icelandic coach of Ireland, about the attack on Wednesday during a Flydubai flight linking the Emirates to Israel, described as a “terrorist act” by the Emirati justice system and the Israeli authorities.

“How do you feel about the people you support? Their ideology is based on murder. Just this week, one of them tried to kill 170 Israeli passengers,” the journalist, whose identity could not be established at this stage, said in English. “We will not answer these kinds of questions today. We will only answer questions about football,” a press officer immediately retorted.

But, a short time later, another journalist in turn addressed the Ireland coach: “Your players are calling our players monkeys during the match…” he said, immediately interrupted by a press officer stating several times “that’s totally false”, while the journalist in question had the microphone removed.

“Don’t touch me, don’t touch me,” declared the latter, while the Irish delegation prematurely ended the press conference. Israeli authorities have criticized the initiatives taken by the Irish selection, with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accusing Dublin of being “on the wrong side of history”.