FIFA president Infantino calls on protesters to keep calm at Israel’s soccer games amid peace talks
ROME: FIFA President Gianni Infantino issued an appeal for protesters to keep calm ahead of Israel’s upcoming soccer World Cup qualifying matches in Norway and Italy after an agreement was reached with Hamas to a pause in their devastating two-year war. Pro-Palestinian protesters approached the gates of the Italy squad’s training center in Florence last week to demand that next Tuesday’s Italy-Israel match in Udine isn’t played — part of a national strike that saw millions of activists take to the streets. “Now everyone should be happy about (the peace plan) and everyone should support the process,” Infantino, who is Swiss Italian, told reporters on the sidelines of a European Football Clubs (EFC) assembly in the Italian capital on Thursday. “Of course this goes beyond football — but includes football as well.” Israel visit Norway on Saturday before traveling to Italy, where an estimated 10,000 people were planning to protest the match in Udine before the peace talks began. On Wednesday, though, US President Donald Trump said Israel and Hamas agreed to the “first phase” of his plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners. UEFA had been considering suspending Israel over the war and Udine Mayor Alberto Felice De Toni had called for the game to be postponed.