ABBAS VISITS JORDAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION HEAD

Amman, 16 Sya’ban 1436, 3 June 2015 (MINA) –  President Mahmoud Abbas visited prince Ali Ibn al-Hussein, the president of the Jordan Football Association, at his house in Amman on Tuesday, Jordanian news outlets reported.

Jordan’s daily al-Ghad newspaper quoted a Palestinian official as saying Abbas arrived in Amman from Doha along with director of the Palestinian Authority’s general intelligence Majid Faraj and other officials.

They headed immediately to Prince Ali’s house to try and “contain the disagreement which broke out recently over the FIFA presidency vote.”, Ma’an News Agency  reports as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

The Palestinian official added that Abbas and his delegation were hoping to overstep the recent disagreements over the FIFA presidency vote and prevent further repercussions.

On Friday, Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub dropped a bid to suspend Israel from FIFA minutes before the bid was brought to the table.

The football governing body voted instead on an amendment proposing the formation of a committee to monitor the movement of Palestinian football players, Israeli racism, as well as the status of Israeli league teams based in illegal Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank.

FIFA members looked on in confusion as last-minute bid changes were laid out, and the proposal passed with 90 percent of member nations voting in favor.

Following the vote, FIFA’s visibly relieved President Sepp Blatter said to the congress: “Those that have more will share with those who have less. In this case, it is up to Israel to share a little bit more with Palestine. This is what is coming out here.”

Blatter, who had been urging against the Palestinian bid to oust Israel, invited Israeli and Palestinian representatives Ofer Eini and Rajoub to shake hands.

Rajoub insisted the PFA may repeat the threat against Israel if the key issues of racism and player movement in the occupied West Bank are not resolved. (T/P010/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)