Ireland players refuse handshakes with Israel, bow heads during anthem

Republic of Ireland players declined to shake hands with their Israeli counterparts and bowed their heads during Israel’s national anthem before Sunday’s UEFA Nations League match in Hungary.

The Irish team also did not exchange pennants with Israel before kick-off, in a pre-match gesture that came amid controversy surrounding the fixture and the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.

Ireland went on to win the match 3-0.

Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said the players’ actions had drawn international attention to the conflict.

“I hope that will not be in the next game because they have shown support for the protest, they have raised awareness worldwide, not only in Ireland, on the subject,” Hallgrimsson told RTÉ.

The players had held a lengthy meeting at their hotel in Debrecen on Saturday before voting by a significant majority to play the fixture.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu subsequently withdrew from the squad, saying he believed it would be wrong for him to participate in the match and the return fixture scheduled for 4 October in Backa Topola, Serbia.

Hallgrimsson said Bazunu’s decision had not been questioned by his teammates, although its timing presented difficulties for the team.

“Nobody was questioning his decision. It was only the timing that was difficult for us to kind of react to it,” he said.

The Irish players also wore black armbands during the match. Football Association of Ireland chief executive David Courell said the gesture was intended to recognise lives lost in the Gaza conflict.

After scoring Ireland’s third goal, Jack Moylan removed his armband and kissed it before kissing the team badge.

The fixtures between Ireland and Israel have faced calls for a boycott since the Nations League draw in February. The Football Association of Ireland had previously backed a motion calling for UEFA to suspend Israel from its competitions.

More than 160 Irish athletes also signed an open letter urging the national team not to play the fixtures.

The FAI later decided to proceed with the matches, with delegates citing concerns that a boycott could cause significant and lasting harm to the association.

The two fixtures are being played at neutral venues, with Ireland’s home match moved from Dublin to Backa Topola.

The controversy intensified after Hallgrimsson earlier described the team as “not playing with genocide, but playing against genocide”. He later said the use of the word “genocide” was wrong.

Israel has repeatedly denied allegations that it has committed genocide in Gaza, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity, saying its military campaign is conducted in self-defence and in accordance with international law.

The conflict began after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to the BBC. Israel subsequently launched a military offensive in Gaza, where more than 73,000 people have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry.