A demonstration took place in Barcelona where Argentina are training with protestors waving the Argentina jersey stained in red indicating blood
Buenos Aires: Argentina have called off a World Cup warm-up match against Israel following protests by pro-Palestinian groups. A source at Argentina’s football federation, Tuesday confirmed the cancellation of the international friendly scheduled to be played Saturday at Teddy Kollek Stadium in Jerusalem. The person spoke to this agency on condition of anonymity because they did not have permission to comment.
The head of the Palestinian football association, Jibril Rajoub, had urged Argentina to cancel the match and had called on Arab soccer fans to burn posters of Argentina captain Lionel Messi if he participated. Some pro-Palestine groups had also threatened the Argentine captain if he played the game.
The cancellation came hours after pro-Palestinian activists staged a demonstration in front of the sports complex in Barcelona where Argentina is preparing ahead of the World Cup. Some waved the white and sky-blue striped jersey of Argentina’s national team stained with red paint resembling blood.
“In the end, they’ve (Argentina Football Association) done the right thing, and this is behind us,” Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain was quoted as saying by a football-specific website. “Health and common sense come first. We felt that it wasn’t right to go.”
Meanwhile, Israel lashed out Wednesday at Argentina’s national football team over the cancellation. The Israeli embassy in Argentina announced the ‘suspension’ of Saturday’s match with its national team, citing what it called ‘threats and provocations’ against Barcelona superstar Messi.
“It’s a shame that Argentina’s footballing nobility did not withstand the pressure from Israeli-hating inciters,” Israeli defence minister Avigdor Lieberman wrote Wednesday on Twitter.
Sources in Jerusalem said late Tuesday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Argentine President Mauricio Macri, in an effort to save the match but Macri had said he was unable to intervene.
Israeli daily ‘Yisrael Hayom’, considered close to Netanyahu, expressed ire with its front page headline: “They surrendered to terrorism: The game against Argentina has been cancelled.”
