AN FA chief involved in the decision not to light up the Wembley Arch in the colours of the Israeli flag had previously called for a free Palestine, The Sun can reveal.
Deji Davies, chairman of the governing body’s Inclusion Advisory Board, hit out when the U-21 Euros were set to be held in the Jewish nation.
SportimageFans arrive at Wembley for Friday’s international friendly with Australia, but the landmark arch remains dark after calls to show support for Israel were refused[/caption]
Deji Davies, chairman of the governing body’s Inclusion Advisory Board, hit out when the U-21 Euros were set to be held in the Jewish nation
Does Deji Davies’ now-deleted tweet explain why Wembley refused to light its iconic arch in the colours of Israel – as it has been after other such terror attacks and conflicts
His 2013 tweet reads: “Boycotting European U21 tournament. Shouldn’t be held in Israel at all. Certainly won’t be watching #FreePalestine.”
Davies, a non-executive director at Brentford, deleted the tweet yesterday.
In a desperate bid to diffuse the fallout, he said: “I have removed the tweet from ten years ago as I do not want to cause offence to anyone at what is an awful time. I am fully supportive of the FA’s position of peace and unity and an end to the violence, death and suffering of Israelis and Palestinians.”
The FA consulted the inclusion board before making its ruling over the landmark ahead of last night’s friendly with Australia. This came despite the arch being lit in the colours of France after 2015’s Paris attacks and in Turkey’s red after atrocities the following year.
Instead, both sides wore black armbands and took part in a silence before kick-off.
An FA spokeswoman insisted Davies’ views have “evolved and changed” since his original message was posted.
But Israeli ex-Premier League ace Tal Ben Haim — who played for Chelsea, Manchester City and West Ham — branded the FA decision “deplorable”. He said: “To say I am disappointed is an understatement.
“Massacring and raping innocent partygoers, torturing, decapitating, and burning babies, toddlers, adults, and pensioners. Broadcasting it live on social media and bragging about it.
“More than 1,300 dead and 3,000 wounded in one bloody day with hundreds of hostages taken to Gaza.
“You must wake up and realise that support in Israel is support in humanity worldwide. Today this is us, tomorrow it could be you.”
Meanwhile the Jewish chairman of the FA’s Faith in Football group quit in protest and said the it would no longer work with England’s football bosses.
In a resignation letter, Rabbi Alex Goldberg told FA chief executive Mark Bullingham that he was “profoundly disappointed”. The rabbi, who has worked with the FA for 16 years, wrote: “It’s imperative that our responses and actions, especially in international platforms like those at Wembley Stadium, are unequivocal in their support for the victims of such atrocities.
“Your formula looks like a form of moral equivalence, which is just not appropriate this week.
“The decision not to light up the arch has been received badly within the community, where attacks on Jews in England have already gone up three-fold.
“Many see the statement only to permit flags and representations of the competing nations as eradicating Jewish symbols. It has compounded grievances with the gravity of the recent events — but also inadvertently neglects the security and emotional wellbeing of Jewish fans who may be in attendance.”
The FA has lit the arches in the yellow and blue of Ukraine, in the gold and green of Brazil after the death of Pele, and in the rainbow colours the LGBTQ+ community while the World Cup was held in anti-gay Qatar.
Buildings that have been lit after the Hamas massacre — which left 17 British citizens dead — include Downing Street, plus the Eiffel Tower in Paris and New York’s Empire State Building.
Rabbi Goldberg said he would “continue to service the football family” through the Premier League and Football League clubs, and told Jewish News his decision came “with huge regret in my heart”.
He said he “strongly urged a reassessment of the FA’s stance on this matter” ahead of the Euro qualifier against Italy at Wembley on Tuesday.
An illustration of how the Wembley arch should have looked in the colours of Israel after last week’s terror attack
Lord John Mann, the Government’s anti-Semitism adviser, branded the FA’s decision “mind-blowing”. And the Premier League was also criticised for failing to condemn the attacks.
Chief executive Richard Masters was accused of a lack of leadership in a letter from Israeli Professional Football Leagues chairman Erez Halfon. He wrote: “We are amazed, shocked and disappointed beyond words at The Premier League’s lack of ability to condemn these acts.
“Every human being, regardless of political affiliation, religion, or belief, should feel distress from Hamas’ monstrous acts.”
The league’s brief statement said it was saddened by the crisis — adding it “strongly condemns the horrific and brutal acts of violence against innocent civilians”.
Players, managers and match officials will wear black armbands and there will be a period of silence before the next round of Premier League matches.
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