Letters to the Editor: Ireland should not let Israel sportswash Gaza genocide

'Most Irish people and Irish athletes and footballers oppose playing Israel. Let’s stand up and be counted on the right side of history, not grovel at the greasy till of Uefa and Fifa'

Republic of Ireland supporters protesting against Israel during last September's Fifa World Cup 2026 Group F match against Hungary at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

The recent decision by the FAI and the Irish Government to support not only playing Israel, a state indicted for plausible genocide at the International Court of Justice, but to double down on playing in Dublin in September, is regrettable.

Little has changed for the better since October 2025, when a “ceasefire” came into force, except the eyes of the world’s media have turned away while over 600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza alone, adding to the over 75,000 known dead, 56% of whom were women, children, and the elderly ( The Lancet, February 2026).