Ireland will proceed with Sunday's fixture against Israel in Hungary, The Guardian reported, though goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu will sit out after withdrawing in protest. A "significant majority" of the squad backed the match following extended talks, according to the outlet, even as scrutiny over the encounter mounted throughout the week.
Saturday's training was delayed five hours amid debate over whether to take part, with the Irish delegation facing mounting domestic pressure over Israel's Gaza campaign.
Football Association of Ireland chief David Courell said, per The Guardian: "This morning, a player expressed their discomfort with fulfilling this fixture to the head coach and indicated their intent to withdraw from the squad."
He went on to describe the internal discussions. "What proceeded was another four hours of conversations, predominantly amongst the players themselves, but also at times with the coaching staff and the executive. Ultimately we carried out a vote amongst the squad ... and it was a significant majority that was returned with the intention to continue."
Players will wear black armbands "in recognition of all the lives lost in the conflict," Courell said, adding that "elements of the pre-match ceremony," namely the handshake and pennant swap, will "not be partaken in by the Republic of Ireland" players.
Bazunu explained his choice to withdraw on Instagram. "Representing my country means everything to me. I have the utmost respect for every single one of my teammates, the manager, his staff, and the Irish people. However, I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly. I am a man of strong faith, and try my best to be a person of character and principle, therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel.
"My decision is based purely on my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of the Israeli people or the Jewish community, but against the atrocities in the region. There are a few times where you get a chance in life to stand up for something bigger, and I strongly believe that this is one of them."
Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson also acknowledged the discomfort surrounding the fixture, saying, "nobody is comfortable playing these games for many reasons," addressing renewed scrutiny of his earlier comment describing the fixture as "playing against genocide." He said the word was wrong to use, clarifying he meant that "by playing we are not accepting what is happening," and that a participating player "is not supporting or agreeing with anything in Gaza," adding, "we are not playing with that word, we are playing against it."
Israel's delegation welcomed Ireland's decision, stating, "What we have seen today is that football has won. The separation between football and politics must continue. Anything else spells chaos and creates consequences for the game we love. The Irish took the right decision in agreeing to this. Even if it took longer than it should, it was welcome."
Israel head coach Ran Ben-Shimon confirmed his side would take part fully in pre-match customs, stating, "I will shake hands with Hallgrímsson."
Separately, the Israel Football Association said it intends to appeal both yellow cards issued to Saied Abu Farchi during Thursday's loss to Austria, the second of which came after officials judged his corner-flag celebration to resemble a rifle-firing gesture. Israel rejects that characterization, with a spokesperson telling The Guardian, "Anyone familiar with him knows it was an imitation of a snooker player, like the legendary Ken Doherty."
