Israel does not deserve a FIFA red card

The Palestinian initiative to suspend Israel from FIFA, the international soccer federation, should be viewed as part of the Palestinian Authority's incessant efforts to undermine Israel's standing in international bodies. That is the gist of it.

If it were up to the Palestinian Authority, Israel would be suspended from the U.N., UNESCO, the World Health Organization, and planet Earth itself.

As fate would have it, the 65th FIFA Congress, which opened in Zurich on Thursday and is scheduled to vote on the Palestinian motion on Friday, is clouded by the biggest scandal in FIFA's history.

Top FIFA officials have been arrested, major sponsors have either pulled out or are threatening to do so, and Michel Platini, the president of UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations) is threatening to exit FIFA unless Sepp Blatter, the federation's 79-year-old president, drops his bid for a fifth term.

Blatter said Thursday that he "can't oversee everyone all the time," meaning he sees no reason to drop his bid. In other words, the head of FIFA sees no reason he should be held responsible for what is going on in his organization.

Barring a dramatic, last-minute change, FIFA plans to vote on the Palestinian motion as scheduled. To borrow a soccer term, FIFA will not deal a red card to its president, but, if 75 percent of the federation's members agree, it will deal one to Israel in the form of a suspension.

One can only guess what support of the Palestinian motion amounts to in dollars. Blatter is facing a considerable headache, having both to preserve his seat and to mitigate the Palestinian motion.

FIFA's president has never felt the heat of the Middle East as much as he has over the past few days, having to deal with the Palestinian motion, Israel's protest, and a Jordanian contender to the FIFA throne -- Prince Ali bin Hussein -- who enjoys UEFA's support and may actually be named the federation's new president.

The 65th FIFA Congress proves once more that sports have become front-page news, as the scandal has made headlines and is featured prominently on the crime pages. The political pages are covering the story from a different angle, focusing on how the U.S. has uncovered alleged bribes paid by Russia, which has been chosen to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup, to federation officials.

Putin released a strong statement of defense of FIFA's embattled president this week, blasting the U.S. for what he called its "obvious attempt to prevent Mr. Blatter's re-election [as] FIFA president." So much for sportsmanship.

The French daily L'Humanit demanded Thursday that FIFA grant the Palestinian motion and suspend Israel, just as it suspended South Africa in 1961, arguing that "FIFA should fight both corruption and apartheid." Israel's "friends" are celebrating and it is all a part of the attempt to delegitimize Israel.

At the end of the day, suspending Israel from FIFA will set a dangerous precedent in a world already plagued by multiple crises. Today it may be Israel, but tomorrow it may be a Ukrainian motion against Russia.

One would expect that if a red card is used Friday, it will be used against those who deserve it -- not against Israel.

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