RAMALLAH, September 27, 2016 (WAFA) – The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Tuesday demanded the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to end sponsorship of sports and matches in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Ali Ishaq, member of the PLO executive committee and head of the youth and sports department, said the Israel Football Association’s sponsorship of Israeli clubs that play in the illegal settlements constitutes a flagrant violation of FIFA’s charters, laws and values.

“For FIFA to allow matches on occupied Palestinian territories is a political and commercial support to Israeli settlements, which are deemed illegal, according to international law,” he said.

The PLO’s comments followed a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report in which the organization accused FIFA of sponsoring football matches on “stolen” Palestinian land in the West Bank.

It called on FIFA to force Israel to move any clubs that play in the illegal settlements in the West Bank into Israel.

Ishaq praised HRW for shedding light on this issue and called on the Palestinian Authority to adopt the report.

M.H./M.A.