FA under pressure
England football chiefs have been criticized for not showing enough support to the victims of Hamas' attack on Israel. The Football Association (FA) faced backlash after failing to light up the Wembley arch in the colors of the Israeli flag during the men’s match against Australia on Friday.
Growing calls for action
The FA's decision not to light up the arch in Israel's colors has led to growing calls for more support. The team is set to play against Italy tonight, and many believe that more needs to be done, especially after the players wore black armbands and held a minute's silence last week.
Pressure from Downing Street
Downing Street has urged the FA to do more to show support for Israel. When asked about lighting up the stadium in blue and white, a spokesman for Number 10 said that given the horror that Israel has been through, it is right for every part of the UK to show its support.
FA criticized
The FA's decision not to light up the arch has not been well-received. Rabbi Alex Goldberg has stepped down as the chair of the FA's Faith in Football network over this issue. The Israeli Football Association boss, Moshe Zuares, also criticized the FA, stating that there are moments in history when the truth is clear, and now is one of those times.
FA responds
In response to the backlash, the FA has said that they will remember the innocent victims of the conflict. They acknowledged the devastating events in Israel and Palestine during the two home games and pledged to honor the victims.
