Ireland renew armband protest and refuse pre-match handshake as Nations League tie with Israel ends 1-1

Ireland players again wore black armbands to mark Palestinians killed in Gaza and bowed their heads during Israel’s national anthem before the sides’ second UEFA Nations League match on Sunday.

The League 3 Group B game ended in a 1-1 draw and, despite being played behind closed doors on neutral ground, it was once again marked by tension and confrontation.

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher served as captain in the absence of Dara O’Shea, who was excused to be with his wife for the birth of their child, and pointedly declined to shake the hand of Israel captain Dor Peretz. He completed the usual pre-match formalities with the referee and one assistant, but avoided the Israeli skipper.

Kelleher’s action repeated O’Shea’s decision the previous week in Debrecen, Hungary, where he refused to shake the hand of Israel captain Manor Solomon. Ireland won that first match 3-0 through three first-half goals.

Solomon was dropped to the bench for Sunday’s match in Backa Topola, Serbia. Israel forward Sayed Abu Farchi returned to the squad after serving a suspension for his red card following a gun-simulation goal celebration during Israel’s 3-1 defeat to Austria on September 25.

Finn Azaz, whose mother has Israeli heritage, was among Ireland’s substitutes after playing from the start against Austria on Thursday.

Troy Parrott gave Ireland a 1-0 half-time lead with a penalty in the 39th minute after a foul by Peretz on Jimmy Dunne. A tense exchange also broke out on the sidelines as the players made their way off the field for the interval, although the referee quickly intervened.

Peretz secured a point for Israel with a close-range finish in the 47th minute.

Sunday’s match was originally supposed to be played in Dublin, but the Football Association of Ireland moved it to a neutral venue in June, citing “operational reasons,” following sustained calls for a boycott linked to Israel’s war in Gaza. The FAI said the game would be played without fans.

The decision followed an FAI motion the previous November calling on UEFA to ban Israel from club and international competition.

All Irish players faced pressure at home — where affinity with Palestinians is strong — to boycott the second match against Israel, though the pressure was greatest before the first game.

“I felt that pressure growing day by day, and it’s getting almost to a breaking limit now,” Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said at the time.

In the end, only reserve goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu chose to sit out both of the contentious matches, saying in a statement that it was his “personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.”

More than 160 Irish sportspeople had signed an open letter urging the FAI to reconsider its decision to go ahead with the two games.

Before the departure for Hungary, people protested outside the team hotel in Dublin, calling on the players to boycott the matches. The SIPTU trade union also displayed a large poster in central Dublin beside the River Liffey, asking players to “Go with your conscience!” and “Don’t play with genocide” beside an image of a blood-splattered ball.

Former Ireland coach Brian Kerr said the FAI had “lost the respect of the Irish people” by going ahead with the games.

The FAI, however, argued that UEFA could sanction the team if it withdrew from the fixtures. Ireland is cohosting the 2028 European Championship with England, Wales and Scotland.

During Ireland’s 2-2 draw with Austria on Thursday, protesters threw tennis balls with Palestinian flags onto the field, and a man carrying a Palestinian flag also tried to run onto the pitch.

On Saturday, an Israeli journalist told the pre-match news conference that Irish players had called Israeli players “monkeys” during last week’s game. Irish communications officer Kieran Crowley immediately rejected the claim as “a lie” and ended the news conference.

The players had only agreed to proceed with the fixtures after a dramatic day in Debrecen before the first match, when both the news conference and training were delayed for hours while the squad deliberated. They reportedly voted 14-8 in favour of continuing after Bazunu’s withdrawal that morning.

Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ provided stripped-back coverage of both games against Israel to meet contractual obligations. There was no studio presentation, commentary on the international feed, or analysis. RTÉ said it was not accepting advertising or sponsorship around either game.

RTÉ also recently announced that Ireland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second year because of Israel’s participation.

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