
Irish Team Refuses Handshakes and Bows Heads During Hatikvah; Sa’ar Says Ireland is ‘On the Wrong Side of History’
Ireland’s national soccer team bowed their heads as Israel’s anthem was played ahead of their UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Nations League match in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday, September 27, and the players refused to shake hands or exchange pennants with their Israeli opponents, with Ireland winning 3-0 at the near-empty stadium. Israel’s delegation explained earlier that day that the Irish team had informed UEFA that its members would not shake hands, and that UEFA accepted this. Irish captain Dara O’Shea came to the pre-match talk with his hands clasped behind his back, shaking hands with the officials but not with Israel captain Manor Solomon.
The Irish players wore black armbands, as promised, in what their delegation claimed was a mark of respect for “all lives lost” in the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The game, in which Israel were the nominal hosts, had been in doubt in the days before the match until Ireland’s players voted overwhelmingly to fulfill the fixture, despite pressure from back home to boycott the match. Only one player, backup goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, pulled out, and the Irish federation reserved no tickets for fans, while Ireland’s public broadcaster featured no studio panel, no analysis, and sold no advertising around its coverage.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused Ireland before the match of being “on the wrong side of history,” recalling in a post on X that the Irish team of 1939 gave the Nazi salute ahead of a match against Germany in Bremen. “Ireland’s unique talent for finding itself on the wrong side of history remains intact,” he wrote. Solomon said after the game that the Irish players’ conduct did not interest him: “We are proud to wear the team shirt and to be Israelis.” Israel plays Kosovo on Thursday, October 1, and faces Ireland again in the return fixture on Sunday, October 4. (TOI/VFI News)
“Our Father in Heaven, we pray in Yeshua’s Name that You strengthen our national team as they face hostility on the field and stand tall as Israelis. We thank You for the pride and resolve they showed under pressure, and we ask that You give them focus and skill in the matches ahead. We pray that You would open the eyes of the Irish people and their leaders to the truth about Israel and soften hearts hardened by false narratives. Let every stadium where our anthem is played become a witness to Your faithfulness to Your people.”