Gianni Infantino's Israel-Palestine handshake fails at FIFA Congress
At the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, FIFA president Gianni Infantino tried to stage a handshake and photo between Palestinian and Israeli delegates, but the Palestinian delegate refused and said "We are suffering." Infantino made the gesture while announcing his bid for a new term; his ten-year presidency has drawn criticism and controversy, including the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump. The public refusal highlights how deep political grievances can block symbolic reconciliations at global sports events and shows limits of using football diplomacy to bridge Israel-Palestine tensions.
What happened at the Fifa Congress when Infantino tried to re-enact the Sepp Blatter 2015 "handshake for peace" stunt and get Palestinian FA president Djibril Rajoub to shake hands with Israeli FA VP Basim Sheikh Suliman. Infantino then shocked the Congress by revealing he'd run for a fourth term.
Philippe Auclair28I'd have written "shocked", with brackets, if I'd had a couple of characters left to use, but I didn't. CAF and CONMEBOL have already endorsed the Dear Leader.
Basel Gooner2The God/King complex is strong in him and his mate Donald… please if there is a God (as an atheist that is hard to say) one lightning bolt in NY at the opening ceremony will do as a sign of a new age…
