The China Mail - Ireland boss Hallgrimsson says timing of Israel remarks 'not clever'

The Icelander sparked a diplomatic row last week by saying: "We're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide. We're playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel."

The Israel Football Association responded on Monday, accusing Hallgrimsson of "stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy".

Ireland's prime minister Micheal Martin then came to the defence of the team's boss, saying the Israel FA should withdraw its "unacceptable remarks".

"Israel can't keep denying what the world knows, and what the world understands," Martin told reporters in New York, where he is attending the UN General Assembly.

Ireland are scheduled to play Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday and face their group rivals again in a "home" tie at another neutral venue in Backa Topola, Serbia, seven days later.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) opted for a neutral venue for the "home" match, citing "operational challenges that could impact on the delivery of the game on home soil".

Ireland launch their Nations League campaign away to Kosovo on Thursday.

"The headlines that I said have taken the attention away from what is maybe most important, we are playing an important game against Kosovo," Hallgrimsson told a pre-match press conference.

"Maybe from a leadership point of view it was not clever from me, to take the attention (away) like this.

"I need to be focused on the game, the players need to be focused on the game. We are thankful for all the support we get. It's a tricky time for us."

More than 160 Irish sportsmen and women have signed an open letter calling on the national team to boycott the Israel matches, while protesters gathered outside the team's Dublin hotel on Monday. Further protests are planned around the country.

The FAI passed a motion last November asking European governing body UEFA to suspend Israel from international competition, but their appeal was unsuccessful.

It has said it has little choice but to fulfil the fixtures or risk sporting and financial sanctions.

Ireland has announced a second successive boycott of the Eurovision song contest, taking place in Bulgaria next year, in protest over Israel's conduct in Gaza, triggered by Hamas's 2023 attacks on Israel.

Ireland has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, with sympathy for Palestinians often linked to the country's own history of British rule.

Dublin formally recognised a Palestinian state in 2024 alongside Spain and Norway, and has repeatedly criticised Israel over the Gaza conflict.

Israel strongly rejects allegations that its conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide.

C.Fong--ThChM