West Bank – The head of the Palestine Football Association has complained to FIFA that one of its players was detained by Israel, an incident he says illustrates his demand that the Israelis be suspended.
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Jibril Rajoub’s letter to FIFA president Sepp Blatter says a player was stalled while trying to leave Israel to attend a training session in Tunisia.
Israeli media quoted security officials as saying the player was briefly detained because he had served as a courier for the Islamic militant group Hamas in the past.
Blatter shuttled between Israeli and Palestinian officials this week to try to pacify Palestinian demands that FIFA suspend Israel because they say its security restrictions hinder player movements.
Israel has cited security concerns, especially regarding movement in and out of Hamas-ruled Gaza.