FA will hold talks over whether to illuminate Wembley arch with the colours of Israel’s flag during England’s friendly against Australia amid concerns of a potential backlash following Hamas’ terror attacks
- FA are also considering staging a period of silence for victims on both sides
- As an international friendly, the match protocol is matter of home association
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The FA are holding talks over whether to illuminate the Wembley arch in the colours of Israel’s flag during England’s friendly against Australia on Friday amidst concerns over a potential backlash.
The Israeli flag was projected onto 10 Downing Street and City Hall in London following government guidance on Sunday night in tribute to the hundreds of people killed by Hamas’ terror attacks over the weekend.
The FA have set a precedent of illuminating the national flag of countries who have suffered from terrorist attacks in recent years, and have a decision to make over whether to follow suit in England’s games against Australia and Italy over the next week.
The FA’s senior leadership are in Nyon for Tuesday’s UEFA Executive Committee meeting after which the United Kingdom and Ireland will officially be confirmed as the hosts of Euro 2028.
The FA are expected to discuss the Israel situation with their counterparts at UEFA, but as the hosts for Friday’s friendly with Australia and next Tuesday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy the nature of any tribute is for them to decide. With some senior figures at Wembley expressing concerns about being accused of taking sides in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, other options include staging a period of silence for the victims on both sides.
Downing Street was illuminated with the Israeli flag on Sunday evening and FA heads will now decide if Wembley will follow suit
The arch has previously been illuminated with the colours of those nations affected by terror and conflict, including in the days after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
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The FA have been quick to express solidarity with victims of terrorism and conflict in recent years.
The Ukrainian flag was projected all over Wembley and illuminated the arch at last year’s Carabao Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool following Russia’s invasion in February 2022, a tribute that was repeated when Ukraine visited London for a European Championship qualifier against England earlier this year.
In November 2015 the Wembley arch was lit up by the red, white and blue of the tricolore following the Paris terror attacks when England played France in a Euro 2016 warm-up friendly, before which players from both sides sang La Marseillaise.
The FA must also decide how to respond if there are any pro-Palestinian chanting or flags at Wembley following reports of pro-Hamas protests in London over the weekend.
In 2021 the governing body opted to take no action against Leicester City’s Wesley Fofana and Hamza Choudhury, who both held up the Palestinian flag on the pitch after their side’s FA Cup final win over Chelsea, although neither player has at any point endorsed terrorism.
UEFA have postponed all of Israel’s games scheduled for the next two weeks and an under 17 tournament that was due to take place in the country.
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