SIPTU to support members who refuse to assist Israel game

The Republic of Ireland's upcoming UEFA Nations League fixture against Israel will be relocated to a neutral venue, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) confirmed last week. The match, originally scheduled for October 4 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, will now take place at an as-yet-undisclosed neutral ground.

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Moving these fixtures from Dublin to a neutral venue behind closed doors does not resolve the issue.

This decision follows a stance taken by the SIPTU union, which announced it will support any members who refuse to participate in holding football matches involving Israel. The union argues that workers in broadcasting, transport, and other related industries should not be compelled to facilitate fixtures that, in their view, legitimize Israel.

SIPTU Deputy General Secretary Greg Ennis stated that moving the games from Dublin to a neutral venue, potentially behind closed doors, does not resolve the underlying issue. "It merely moves the Palestinian picket line out of sight," he remarked, emphasizing the union's clear position: "Don't pass that picket line in Dublin, in Hungary or anywhere else."

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It merely moves the Palestinian picket line out of sight.

The union plans to engage with other trade unions to establish a unified front of support for members who choose to protest against these fixtures. This move signals a growing solidarity among workers concerned about the political implications of sporting events involving Israel.

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Our position is clear: don't pass that picket line in Dublin, in Hungary or anywhere else.