August 11, 2025 | 01:28 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Palestine, Francesca Albanese, urged the European football body (UEFA) on Sunday to expel Israel from the competition. The Zionist state is deemed responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity that it committed in the Gaza Strip.
"Let’s make sport apartheid and genocide free. One ball, one kick at a time," Francesca Albanese wrote on her X account as quoted by Anadolu.
The call from Albanese comes after UEFA bid farewell to former Palestine national team player, Suleiman al-Obeid, whom they referred to as the "Palestinian Pele."
Obaid was killed on Wednesday when Israeli soldiers fired at civilians waiting for aid delivery near a distribution point in southern Gaza, according to the Palestinian Football Association. "Time to expel its killers from competitions, @UEFA," the UN rapporteur said.
At 41, Obaid, born in Gaza and father of five, was viewed as one of the brightest stars in Palestinian football history. He played in 24 official matches with the national team, scoring two goals.
He had hoped to continue scoring goals until the age of 50. An Israeli tank shell shattered that dream a decade earlier, his family said.
Obaid's widow, Doaa al-Obeid, now clutches the blue-and-white shorts with the number 10 he wore for his club in Gaza, Al-Shati, one of the few mementos she has of her late husband. As she and their five children mourn the departure of the revered 41-year-old striker.
"This is the most precious thing left behind by him," she said as quoted by CNA.
The family has very few belongings of Obeid, whose home was destroyed in a bombing earlier this year. They now live in a tent among the ruins of a settlement in Gaza City.
Obeid, who was likened by fans to the Brazil legend Pele for his skills and goal-scoring ability, made headlines this week after Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah criticized the tribute to Obeid by the European football body, UEFA, which did not mention the cause of his death.
"Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?" Salah wrote.
In response to Salah's post on X, Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said, "Hey Mohamed, After an initial review, we found no records of any incidents involving Suleiman al-Obeid. In order to take a closer look, we need more details."
Obeid, who had played for the Palestinian national team, was still playing for his club in Gaza when the war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023.
Over 800 athletes have been killed in Gaza since the start of the Israeli offensive on October 7, 2023, while the sports community continues to suffer from bombings, starvation, and the collapse of infrastructure, according to Palestinian officials.
Israel has faced increasing anger over its deadly campaign in Gaza, where more than 61,400 people have been killed since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the brink of starvation.
Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces genocide cases at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war in the enclave.
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