Norwegia Tolak Lawan Israel di Kualifikasi Piala Dunia 2026
CNN Indonesia
Kamis, 19 Des 2024 07:20 WIB

Norwegia langsung mengeluarkan pernyataan tegas setelah mereka berada dalam grup yang sama dengan Israel pada Kualifikasi Piala Dunia 2026.

Norwegia berada satu grup dengan Israel. (via REUTERS/TT NEWS AGENCY)

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia --

Norwegia langsung mengeluarkan pernyataan tegas setelah mereka berada dalam grup yang sama dengan Israel pada Kualifikasi Piala Dunia 2026. Mereka menolak lawan Israel dan meminta Israel dijatuhi sanksi.

Presiden Asosiasi Sepak Bola Norwegia Liz Klaveness menyatakan bahwa mereka bakal berusaha keras untuk menekan pihak-pihak berwenang menjatuhkan sanksi pada Israel.

"Asosiasi Sepak Bola mendukung sikap Pemerintah Norwegia dan menuntut penghentian segera serangan Israel terhadap warga sipil yang tak berdosa di Gaza."

"Tidak boleh ada dari kita semua yang bisa tetap abai melihat kekejaman yang terus berlangsung di Gaza," ucap Klaveness dalam pernyataannya, dikutip dari Safanews.

Klaveness menegaskan bakal terus aktif memberikan tekanan pada UEFA dan juga FIFA terkait status Israel yang masih diizinkan aktif berkompetisi. Sebagai perbandingan, Rusia langsung terkena sanksi ketika mereka melakukan invasi ke Ukraina pada 2022 lalu.

"Israel masih jadi bagian dari kpmpetisi UEFA. Kami harus menghadapi itu. Kami harus melihat itu."

"Kami akan terus memantau situasi dengan serius bersama FIFA, UEFA, dan pemerintah Norwegia," kata Klaveness.

Selain Israel dan Norwegia, grup I berisi Estonia dan Moldova. Satu tim lainnya bakal ditentukan antara Jerman atau Italia.

Norwegia saat ini sedang memiliki materi pemain papan atas Eropa. Erling Haaland dan Martin Odegaard adalah dua nama tenar yang berasal dari Norwegia.

https://www.cnnindonesia.com/olahrag...ala-dunia-2026

Palestinian Football Association Praises Norway for Urging FIFA to Investigate Israel Before World Cup Qualifier

by Shiryn Ghermezian


Oscar Gloukh of Israel celebrates with teammates their first goal, an own goal scored by Hamidou Diallo of Mali during Paris 2024 Olympics – Football – Men’s Group D – Mali vs Israel match on July 24, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) applauded the Norwegian Football Federation on Tuesday for calling on FIFA, the world governing body of soccer, to investigate Israel ahead of the European qualifiers that are set to take place next year for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Israel and Norway’s national soccer teams are set to compete against each other in 2025 on March 25 and Oct. 11 as part of the qualifiers in Europe for the World Cup the following year, it was announced on Saturday. After the matchup was announced, Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation, reportedly called on FIFA to investigate Israel for alleged human rights violations in the Gaza Strip during the country’s ongoing war against Hamas terrorists who orchestrated the Oct. 7 deadly massacre in southern Israel. Klaveness said it was “difficult” to see that Norway has been paired to compete against Israel in the World Cup qualifiers and expressed concerns over Israel’s military actions in Gaza, according to reports.

On Tuesday, the PFA commended Norway’s “recognition of the ongoing violations against Palestinian civilians and athletes.”

“President Klaveness’ remarks echo the sentiments of millions around the world who believe that FIFA and the international football community cannot remain silent while grave breaches of human rights persist,” the Palestinian association said in a released statement. “The PFA urges FIFA to act with transparency and urgency by launching a thorough investigation into Israel’s actions and ensuring that football remains a tool for peace and justice, not a platform for impunity.”

The PFA has made repeated efforts to have FIFA, the UEFA, and all national soccer associations ban Israel from all international soccer matches and reiterated the same sentiment in the statement on Tuesday. It also again accused “Israeli occupation forces” of “systematically targeting Palestinian sports, athletes, and infrastructure” in violation of FIFA regulations and international humanitarian law.

“The Israeli Football Association (IFA) systematically violates FIFA statutes by tolerating racism, serving as a tool for Israeli annexation of occupied territory, and encouraging the ongoing genocide in Gaza,” the PFA claimed. “These attacks have resulted in the loss of countless lives, including hundreds of athletes, and the destruction of vital sports facilities, undermining the very principles that football stands for — fairness, respect, and unity.”

Norway, a longtime supporter of the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, officially recognized a Palestinian state in May. The country has also been a harsh critic of Israel since the start of the Israel-Hamas war that began more than 14 months ago. In February, Joav Melchior, chief rabbi of the Jewish community in Oslo, said antisemitism in the Scandinavian country was at its highest level since World War II.

Klaveness said the Norwegian Football Association “stands with the Norwegian government in its demand for an immediate end to the disproportionate attacks on innocent civilians in Gaza,” according to Ynet. She explained that Norway is actively involved in pushing for Israel to be suspended from international soccer games and also commented on the Norway-Israel soccer games that are set to take place next year as part of the European qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“The draw is difficult for us, beyond the purely sporting aspect. None of us can remain indifferent to the disproportionate attacks that Israel has inflicted on the civilian population of Gaza over a long period of time,” she added. “Israel is still part of UEFA competitions. We have to deal with that. We are following the situation closely with FIFA, UEFA, and the Norwegian authorities.”

Klaveness additionally pointed out that Norway has a longstanding presence in the Middle East. “We are also closer to the region and the Palestinian Football Federation than most other European federations, because we have been working there on the ground for more than 10 years, with coaches who create football activities for children in schools and refugee camps,” she reportedly said.

https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/12/1...cup-qualifier/