The British government has issued an official rebuke to the Football Association (FA) after the sports organization refused to light up Wembley Arch in Israeli colors to show support for the country after it suffered a brutal terror attack by Palestinian terrorists.
The FA had lit up Wembley in national colors before to show support for countries including Ukraine and Turkey when those nations suffered crises. However, the sports authority has refused to offer the same benefit to Israel, Reuters reported.
“I am extremely disappointed … and have made my views clear to the FA,” Britain’s Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Frazer wrote in an X post.
The Wembley Stadium Arch is lit up in support of International Women’s Day 2022 at Wembley Stadium on March 07, 2022, in London, England. (Christopher Lee – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
“It is especially disappointing in light of the FA’s bold stance on other terrorist attacks in the recent past. Words and actions matter. The Government is clear: we stand with Israel,” she said.
The FA went beyond simply refusing to light the stadium in Israel’s colors. The organization also put out a message saying that fans would be banned from wearing shirts or carrying items showing support for Israel, as well.
However, the FA did note there will be a moment of silence before Friday’s game, but the moment will be for both sides in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
“On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine,” the FA said in a statement.
“We will only permit flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality for the competing nations inside Wembley Stadium.”
In the wake of the refusal of the FA to support Israel, Rabbi Goldberg, who was a long-time member of the Football Association’s Faith group, has resigned after belonging to the group for 16 years.
“After 16 years at the FA, I resign, not in retreat, but in protest,” Goldberg said in his statement. “For in silence, we sideline solidarity, and in omission, we risk our morality.”
He added that he was resigning because he was “profoundly disappointed in the FA decision not to have a specific tribute during the upcoming matches against Australia and Italy at Wembley Stadium.”
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