Ireland and Israel players did not shake hands before their UEFA Nations League match in Hungary. The FAI had announced on Saturday that there would be no pre-match handshake.
Players from Ireland and Israel declined to shake hands before this evening’s UEFA Nations League fixture in Hungary.
Following the national anthems, both sides opted against the customary pre-match handshake ritual, with the Irish squad – all wearing black armbands to honour those who have lost their lives in the Israel/Palestine conflict – bowing their heads during the Israeli anthem.
Captains Dara O’Shea and Manor Solomon did not exchange handshakes when they approached the match officials for the pre-match coin toss.
Managers Heimir Hallgrímsson and Ram Ben Shimon also refrained from shaking hands.
On Saturday, FAI Chief Executive David Courell had confirmed there would be no handshake, no joint official photograph, and no exchange of pennants, reports the Irish Mirror.
In response, Israeli midfielder Dor Peretz said “I think we’re going to put our hands out, we give the respect. If they don’t want to shake their hands, that’s OK,” while manager Ram Ben Shimon remarked “Yes, yes, my hand is open for everyone who wants to shake it.”
Sunday night’s match got underway at 7:45pm, with goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu missing from the squad following his withdrawal on Saturday.
In a statement, he said “Representing my country means everything to me. I have the utmost respect for every single one of my team mates, the Manager, his staff and the Irish people.
“However I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly. I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel.
“My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.
“It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region.
“There are few times where you get a chance in life to stand up for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them.”
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