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Ireland's football governing body has voted in favor to submit a formal motion to Uefa, calling for the banning of Israel from all European club and international tournaments.

Basis of the Recommended Suspension

The resolution, which was proposed by Irish side Bohemians, cited alleged violations by the IFA of a couple of key European football regulations.

• Inability to implement and enforce an effective policy against racism.
• Organisation of football teams in occupied Palestinian territories without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association.

Ballot Results and Next Steps

As stated in an official statement from the Irish FA, the proposal was supported by 74 votes, with 7 against and two abstentions.

The association plans to formally submit this request to the UEFA's decision-making body, asking for the immediate suspension of the Israel Football Association from European tournaments.

In an extraordinary general meeting of the Football Association of Ireland, an ordinary resolution was put to members. It was approved by a large margin.

Previous European Considerations

The European body had earlier put on hold intentions to exclude Israel at the end of September, following the announcement of Donald Trump's proposed peace plan for the region.

Although Uefa never officially confirmed considering an extraordinary meeting on the matter, preparations were believed to be quite advanced.

Global Backdrop

This Irish move follows similar calls in September from the heads of Turkish and Norwegian football associations for Israel's suspension from international competition.

These appeals were made after United Nations experts urged Fifa and Uefa to suspend Israel, citing a UN commission of inquiry report that claimed Israel of acts of genocide during the Gaza conflict.

The Israeli government has denied these claims and labeled the findings as scandalous.

Possible Consequences

Should Uefa decide to ban the IFA, it would probably create tension with the United States government – joint hosts for the 2026 World Cup – which strongly opposes such an action.

Even though Uefa has the power to suspend Israeli teams from European competitions, it might not be able to stop them from competing in World Cup qualifiers, which is governed by Fifa.