The Palestinian national soccer team, a source of pride for many, has been under attack by the Israeli state.
ZURICH — FIFA says it will host the leaders of the Israeli and Palestinian soccer federations within days, seeking an agreement before the governing body’s congress this month.
The Palestinian Football Association wants Israel suspended from world soccer because its security forces restrict movement of players in the West Bank and Gaza.
The PFA defied FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s wishes by pushing for a vote of 209 member countries on May 29 in Zurich.
FIFA says Blatter met Israeli soccer leaders on Wednesday and told them “any member association that is fulfilling its statutory duties should not be suspended.”
The Israeli federation has said the issues are political and beyond its control.
Blatter has worked to mediate between the two federations since a decision at the FIFA congress in 2013.