Ireland’s Prime Minister, Micheál Martin, has backed the national football team’s head coach, Heimir Háðlgrímsson, following criticism from the Israel Football Association over his comments on the war in Gaza. In New York, where Martin is attending the UN General Assembly, he described the accusations as unacceptable and called for them to be withdrawn.
Briefly about the main points
- Michal Martin described the criticism levelled at the Israeli Football Association as unacceptable.
- The controversy was sparked by Haglgrímsson’s comments regarding the allegations of genocide in Gaza.
- The coach admitted that his statement had diverted attention from the match against Kosovo.
- More than 160 athletes have called on the Irish national team to boycott the matches.
- The matches will take place in Hungary and Serbia, rather than in Israel or Ireland.
What caused the conflict between the coach and the Israeli Football Association
Ahead of two Nations League matches against Israel Gadlgrímsson stated that the team was playing «against genocide», not «with genocide». Football Association Israel, in response, accused him of «foolishness, ignorance and hypocrisy».
Martin said that the coach’s words reflected concern at the scale of the loss of life and destruction in Gaza. The Prime Minister also referred to statements by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and stated that Israel cannot deny what, in his words, the international community understands.
Gadlgrímsson admitted that the statement had diverted attention from the team
On Wednesday, whilst preparing for Thursday’s match against Kosovo, the manager expressed his gratitude for the support. At the same time, he said that his previous comment had shifted the focus away from the national team’s important match.
Haldgrímsson suggested that, from a leadership perspective, it had been unwise of him to draw so much attention to himself. He described this period as a difficult one for the team.
Protests, calls for a boycott and the rescheduling of two matches
The controversy is unfolding against a backdrop of mounting pressure in Ireland ahead of the matches scheduled for 27 September and 4 October. More than 160 Irish athletes have signed an open letter calling for a boycott of the matches, and on Monday protesters gathered outside the national team’s hotel in Dublin. Further protests are also planned across the country.
Last November, the Football Association of Ireland adopted a resolution calling on UEFA to suspend Israel from international tournaments. At the same time, the FAI stated that failure to adhere to the fixture list could result in sporting and financial sanctions.
Ireland’s home match on 4 October has been moved from Dublin’s Aviva Stadium to Bačka Topola in Serbia due to security concerns and the risk of disruption. Israel’s home match on 27 September will formally take place in Debrecen, Hungary.
The war in Gaza and Dublin’s stance on Palestine
Israel strongly rejects accusations that its actions in Gaza constitute genocide. According to official Israeli figures, 1,221 people were killed during the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, and 251 hostages were taken to Gaza, 44 of whom were already dead.
Following this, Israel launched a large-scale offensive. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza, 73,919 people have been killed, and virtually the entire population of the territory has been displaced at least once. In 2024, Ireland, together with Spain and Norway, formally recognised the State of Palestine and has repeatedly criticised Israel’s actions in the war.
