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| Argentina cancels Israel World Cup friendly after Gaza violence | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Argentina has cancelled a World Cup warm-up match with Israel, apparently under political pressure over Israel's treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. | |
| Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain told the ESPN sports channel on Tuesday the game had been cancelled. | Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain told the ESPN sports channel on Tuesday the game had been cancelled. |
| "They've finally done the right thing," Higuain said in an interview. | "They've finally done the right thing," Higuain said in an interview. |
| The Israeli Embassy in Argentina tweeted to confirm that the football friendly between the two countries was off. | |
| Media reports say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Argentine President Mauricio Macri in an attempt to salvage the friendly tie, due to be played in Jerusalem on Saturday. | |
| News of the cancellation was met with cheers in Gaza, where at least 120 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces during recent protests. | |
| In Ramallah in the West Bank, the Palestinian football association issued a statement thanking Argentine striker Lionel Messi and his colleagues for the cancellation. | In Ramallah in the West Bank, the Palestinian football association issued a statement thanking Argentine striker Lionel Messi and his colleagues for the cancellation. |
| "Values, morals and sport have secured a victory today and a red card was raised at Israel through the cancellation of the game," said chairman Jibril Rajoub, quoted by Reuters news agency. | "Values, morals and sport have secured a victory today and a red card was raised at Israel through the cancellation of the game," said chairman Jibril Rajoub, quoted by Reuters news agency. |
| Mr Rajoub, who had before the reported cancellation called for Palestinians to burn replica shirts and pictures of Messi, announced that he would hold a press conference on Wednesday. | Mr Rajoub, who had before the reported cancellation called for Palestinians to burn replica shirts and pictures of Messi, announced that he would hold a press conference on Wednesday. |
| The campaign group Avaaz, which had called for the game to be cancelled, praised what it called a "brave ethical decision". | The campaign group Avaaz, which had called for the game to be cancelled, praised what it called a "brave ethical decision". |
| "This proves Argentina understands there is nothing friendly about playing in Jerusalem, when just miles away Israelis snipers are shooting unarmed protesters," said Alice Jay, campaign director at Avaaz. | "This proves Argentina understands there is nothing friendly about playing in Jerusalem, when just miles away Israelis snipers are shooting unarmed protesters," said Alice Jay, campaign director at Avaaz. |
| The match, which was to be Argentina's final game before the start of their World Cup campaign in Russia later this month, was set to be played at a stadium in West Jerusalem. | The match, which was to be Argentina's final game before the start of their World Cup campaign in Russia later this month, was set to be played at a stadium in West Jerusalem. |
| The status of Jerusalem is highly sensitive. Israel regards Jerusalem as its "eternal and undivided" capital. Palestinians see the eastern part of the city as the capital of a future Palestinian state, and were angered by a decision to relocate the game there from Haifa. | The status of Jerusalem is highly sensitive. Israel regards Jerusalem as its "eternal and undivided" capital. Palestinians see the eastern part of the city as the capital of a future Palestinian state, and were angered by a decision to relocate the game there from Haifa. |
| Last month, US President Donald Trump stirred international anger and condemnation with a decision to relocate the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognising the city as the capital of Israel. | Last month, US President Donald Trump stirred international anger and condemnation with a decision to relocate the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognising the city as the capital of Israel. |