- Jibril Rajoub denied visa to Australia to join Palestine soccer team
- The Palestinian football president claims that the measure was politically motivated
- The Socceroos face Palestine starting at 10:05pm AEST in Perth on Monday
- Both nations have already moved on to the next qualifying phase for the World Cup.
The Palestinian football boss who questioned Israel’s participation in the FIFA World Cup has been banned from entering Australia ahead of his nation’s qualifier against the Socceroos in Perth tonight.
Jibril Rajoub stated that the decision not to grant him a visa was politically motivated.
“I think it’s a political decision, it’s a shame for those who made that decision… He should attend the game, he should be with our team,” Rajoub fumed.
Rajoub, who claimed to have previously been to Australia in 2008 and 2015, feels his third visa denial was a “stupid and foolish decision”.
“There is someone, somewhere in the Australian government, who is behaving under the pressure or influence of the stupid, crazy Israeli government,” he said.
The Palestinian football boss has been banned from entering Australia ahead of his country’s qualifier against the Socceroos in Perth on Monday night (Jibril Rajoub pictured)
Jibril Rajoub has stated that the decision not to grant him a visa was politically motivated, as he had previously been to Australia twice.
The Socceroos have been in ominous form during World Cup qualifying, scoring 17 goals in five games (pictured are Daniel Arzani and Adam Taggart)
“It’s not fair to deny me the right to be with our national team.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dismissed Rajoub’s claim, saying on Monday that the decision was made “at arm’s length” by the Immigration Department.
Australian Palestine Defense Network president Nasser Mashni said it was a “real concern” that Rajoub was being denied a visa.
“Palestinians, Palestinian Australians and their supporters were looking for a moment to escape the genocide we’ve been witnessing, to celebrate sport, to celebrate humanity, to watch world football being played here in Australia and, frankly, it’s another kick. in the guts,” Mashni said.
‘A large part of our community has flown to Perth, they are flying here from Melbourne and we will all come out and for a moment, maybe a couple of hours, we will enjoy a respite from the genocide.
“We will come together and celebrate our adopted country, Australia, but also our country of origin and place of ancestry Palestine.”
The development comes as Football Australia confirmed they were aware of Rajoub’s situation but stressed it was an issue for the government to address.
Kick-off between the Socceroos and Palestine in their World Cup qualifying match is at 10:05pm AEST, live on Channel 10.
More than 35,000 people are estimated to have been killed since Israel declared war on Hamas in Gaza last October.
