A proposal initiated by the Palestine Football Association (PFA) to suspend Israel from FIFA gained significant traction at the 34th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Bangkok.

“The AFC is only as strong as its members and when one suffers, all its other members are affected,” AFC President Sheikh Salman told delegates on Thursday.

“The AFC stands together with the Palestine FA, and we join them in seeking effective football-related solutions to the grievances raised by the Palestine FA in their proposal. It is our duty to support the Palestine FA for a swift and effective resolution in line with the rules, regulations and statutes of the AFC and FIFA.”

Submitted to FIFA in March, the PFA’s proposal accused the Israel Football Association (IFA) of being complicit in the Israeli government’s “discriminatory” practices against Arab soccer. They argued that the IFA has failed to advocate for the free movement of its players, hindering their ability to participate in training, matches, and tournaments.

The PFA further claimed that Israel has no right to hold soccer matches in Judea and Samaria as those areas in the Jewish State are considered “occupied” by international law. Several Arab AFC member nations, including Algeria, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, have already backed the PFA’s proposal.