Ireland, Israel players snub pre-match handshake amid Gaza war tensions

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Republic of Ireland captain Dara O’Shea (L) turns away from Israel captain Manor Solomon (R) during the pre-match protocol before the UEFA Nations League Group B3 football match between Israel and the Republic of Ireland at Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary, on September 27, 2026. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)

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Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in a Nations League clash on Sunday amid an eerie and sombre atmosphere that saw the Irish players wear black armbands over the war in Gaza.

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Ireland’s players also bowed their heads as the Israeli national anthem was played at the near-empty Debrecen stadium in Hungary.

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The teams skipped the traditional pre-match handshakes and did not exchange pennants either.

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Troy Parrott made a heart sign with his hands after opening the scoring on 14 minutes, while Jack Moylan kissed the Irish badge on his jersey and his black armband after netting the third goal 25 minutes in.

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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Ireland of being “on the wrong side of history” over the players’ actions.

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In a lengthy post on X, Saar referenced the Irish team of 1939 giving the Nazi salute ahead of a match against Germany in Bremen.

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He also referred to Irish neutrality during the Second World War and the condolences offered by then-prime minister Eaemon de Valera to the German representative in Dublin following Adolf Hitler’s death.

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“Almost 90 years have passed. Ireland’s unique talent for finding itself on the wrong side of history remains intact,” he added.

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The game, in which Israel were the nominal hosts, had been in doubt earlier in the week until Ireland’s players voted overwhelmingly to fulfil the fixture, despite pressure from back home to boycott the match.

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Only one player, goalkeeper Gavin Buzunu, pulled out, saying “it would be wrong to participate” in either this match or the return fixture in Serbia on October 4 due to the “killing of innocent people”.

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The Irish federation did not reserve any tickets for fans to attend the match and public broadcaster RTE was due to show it without commentary.

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“Sports, soccer, basketball, everything is for the public, the people, and not for politics,” 31-year-old software development teacher Mol Michael, draped in an Israeli scarf, told AFP.

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“Once you decide, because of politics, to cancel the Irish audience, this is a really stupid move from Ireland, in my opinion.”

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Ireland has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, with sympathy often linked to the country’s own history of British rule.

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Dublin formally recognised a Palestinian state in 2024 alongside Spain and Norway, and has repeatedly criticised Israel over the Gaza conflict.

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Israel strongly rejects allegations its conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide.

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