Israeli sports are now facing a real threat. Following Israel Hayom's revelation about efforts to bar the national team and clubs from European tournaments, a move stopped after US intervention, the British newspaper The Times reported Thursday that a majority within UEFA now supports expelling Israel, with a vote scheduled for next week.
The British daily noted that last month several European clubs had asked UEFA to find a way to avoid playing against Israeli opponents, with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel's sole representative in the Europa League, at the center of the debate. According to The Times, this accelerated the push to discuss Israel's suspension, and the matter is now expected to come up for a vote.
The report coincides with a statement from the US State Department, which said that US President Donald Trump and Marco Rubio had intervened with UEFA and FIFA in an effort to prevent Israeli teams from being expelled. Trump stressed that "this is unacceptable to him" and that he is fighting to ensure Israeli sports remain part of international competitions.
It should be noted that the American statement mentioned Israel's national team in the context of the World Cup but did not refer to UEFA, the Europa League, or Maccabi Tel Aviv. According to The Times, UEFA is citing the precedent of Russia's suspension following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, after which Russian clubs and national teams were banned from European competitions and have yet to be reinstated.
