Norway defeats 'Israel' 5-0 in World Cup qualifier
Norwegian police clashed with pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Saturday in Oslo, using tear gas and making several arrests during 'Israel’s' 5-0 defeat to Norway in a World Cup qualifying match at Ullevaal Stadium, AFP reported.
Earlier in the day, several hundred activists held a peaceful demonstration in central Oslo, many wearing Palestinian keffiyehs and waving flags. Smoke flares were lit, but the protest remained calm.
“The message today is to say we give the red card to Israel, to apartheid, and to genocide,” said Line Khateeb, head of the Norwegian Committee for Palestine and one of the protest organizers. “We do not accept football being used to whitewash war crimes, as we see today when Israel participates in the World Cup qualification games.”
Banners carried by demonstrators read “Exclude Israel from International Football,” “From the River to the Sea,” and “It’s a Genocide, Not a War.” Munib Sarwar, a 40-year-old engineer, told Agence France Presse (AFP), “Israel has been committing genocide for the last two years and killing indiscriminately, doing the most horrible thing that could be imaginable. We need to show solidarity with the children and the people of Gaza who have been terrorised for the last two years.”
Protests continued inside Ullevaal Stadium shortly before kickoff, where activists unfurled a large Palestinian flag and a banner reading “Let Children Live.” Several dozen Israeli fans waved their national flag and a banner reading “Let the Ball Talk!” Whistling could be heard during the Israeli national anthem, players were booed, and a man wearing a “Free Palestine” jersey briefly ran onto the pitch before being removed.
Organizers said they proceeded with the demonstration despite a ceasefire agreement reached Thursday between 'Israel' and Hamas. “It's not the end of the occupation. It doesn't mean the West Bank is free. It doesn't mean Palestine is free. We need to keep pushing and putting sanctions on Israel to hold them accountable in order to have a proper free Palestine,” Khateeb said.
Security around the stadium was tight, with dozens of police officers on horseback and others in riot gear stationed outside.
The head of the Football Association of Norway, Lise Klaveness, has publicly called for sanctions against 'Israel'. “Personally, I think that if Russia is excluded, Israel should be as well,” she said on a Norwegian podcast. Russian teams and clubs were barred from international competitions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a ban that remains in place.
The NFF has also pledged to donate proceeds from Saturday’s match to Doctors Without Borders.
Norway’s 5-0 victory over 'Israel' puts them at the top of Group I in European qualifying with 18 points, ahead of Italy and 'Israel', who each have nine points. Italy was scheduled to play Estonia later on Saturday.
