(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Tuesday, 9 July 2013), met with FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter. In response to comments the latter made during his visit to Israel, the Prime Minister decided to show him concrete evidence of the Palestinians' use of football fields as bases for launching rockets at civilian populations in Israel.

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu showed FIFA President Blatter photographs that show – inter alia – missiles being launched at Israel from the heart of civilian populations in Gaza, aerial photographs from 16 November 2012 that show Fajr-5 missile launch sites in the Gaza football stadium, a photograph of a building that was hit by missiles in Rishon Lezion, and a video clip that was taken by civilians on 10 March 2012 and which shows the football match between Be'er Sheva and Um Al-Fahm being suddenly halted due to rocket fire at the stadium area. "This is a double war crime. You're firing on civilians and you're hiding behind civilians," the Prime Minister said.

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu also referred to recent media interviews by Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub in which the latter said that if the Palestinians had an atomic bomb, they would have already used it on Israel and that Israel is the enemy of the Palestinian people.

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel was asking that FIFA give it fair play and not allow itself and the sport to be used for the dissemination of mendacious propaganda against Israel.