Palestinian Authority Terror Supporter Jibril Rajoub Should Be Removed From FIFA — Permanently

Itamar Marcus

Palestinian Olympic Committee President Jibril Rajoub, who also heads the Palestinian Football Association, holds a news conference to update the media about challenges facing Palestinian sports ahead of the Olympics in Paris, in Ramallah, in the West Bank, June 12, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad

The US and Canada should be commended for refusing to grant a visa to see the World Cup to the antisemite and Palestinian Authority (PA) official Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Football Association. Rajoub is also the PA’s representative to FIFA (International Federation of Football Association).

Since his release from Israeli prison in 1985 in an exchange of Palestinian terrorists for Israeli hostages, Rajoub has glorified and supported terror against Israelis while spreading hate and antisemitism.

After Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) submitted a formal complaint to FIFA with evidence that Rajoub was a terror supporter, he was suspended from FIFA for a year.

Now that Rajoub has repeatedly supported the atrocities of October 7, as is documented below, and continues to spread antisemitism, FIFA must expel him permanently and distance itself from Rajoub’s vile hatred.

After Israel killed Saleh Al-Arouri, a Hamas leader and planner of the October 7, 2023, atrocities, Rajoub openly glorified the dead terror mastermind, lauding him as:

the extraordinary national leader who was always extraordinary in the way of his struggle [i.e., terror]. I am among the believers in his ideology, his way, and his activity.

Al-Arouri’s “way and activities” in which Rajoub believes included planning rape, beheadings, burning families alive, and the murder of nearly 1,200 on October 7, 2023. This is what Rajoub was honoring.

Rajoub has also said that Hamas’ October 7 massacre and launch of war were a successful rite of passage for Hamas:

Our brothers in Hamas — what they did on Oct. 7 made them part of the Palestinian national self-liberation movement.

He referred to the October 7 atrocities as “acts of heroism,” while calling it a defensive war for which Israel was responsible for all the deaths. He has later added that Israel is so evil that “if Hitler were to come, he would learn Nazism and fascism from Netanyahu.”

Finally, in one of his outbursts, in which he exposed his vile antisemitism, Rajoub said:

The Americans, Europeans, and others were deceived to think that the Jew is a victim. The truth is that he is a criminal, a terrorist, and a distorted form of the fascism and Nazism of the last century.

The US and Canada correctly refused to grant Rajoub, the Palestinian FIFA representative, a visa to see the World Cup games in their countries. Mexico, possibly unaware of who he was, enabled Rajoub to come.

Mexico should expel this terror supporter from its country, and FIFA should expel Rajoub from FIFA, permanently this time.

PMW is also submitting a complaint with all this information to the Israeli Police, so that Rajoub can be put on trial for possible violations of Israel’s counter-terrorism law.

Many examples of Rajoub’s hate and terror support appear on PMW’s website. The above video is a short collection of some of Rajoub’s antisemitic hatred and his support for October 7, and the transcription follows below:

Rajoub in his own words:

The Jew is not “a victim” but “a criminal, a terrorist”

Fatah Central Committee Secretary Jibril Rajoub: “The Americans, Europeans, and others were deceived to think that the Jew is a victim. The truth is that he is a criminal, a terrorist, and a distorted form of the fascism and Nazism of the last century.”

[Jibril Rajoub, Facebook page, Dec. 4, 2023]

Hamas became part of Palestinian national self-liberation movement on Oct. 7

Rajoub: “Our brothers in Hamas — what they did on Oct. 7 made them part of the Palestinian national self-liberation movement.”

[Jibril Rajoub, Facebook page, Nov. 30, 2024]

Don’t condemn Oct. 7 — it is a response to Israel’s crimes

Rajoub: “What happened on October 7 is a response to the crimes committed against the Palestinian people [by Israel] since 1948.”

[Sky News Arabia, YouTube channel, Oct. 7, 2025]

Hamas leader and Oct. 7 planner Arouri was an “extraordinary leader… I am among the believers in his ideology”

Rajoub: “We in the Fatah Movement, from the leadership and its base, express our condolences to our people, to his family, to the Hamas movement… over [the death of] the extraordinary national leader [Saleh al-Arouri] who was always extraordinary in the way of his struggle [i.e., terror.] I am among the believers in his ideology, his way, and his activity, and therefore this is a trust upon us that we be loyal … including that which concerns perfecting the resistance [(i.e., terror.]”

[Jibril Rajoub, Facebook page, Jan. 3, 2024]

Rajoub praises Hamas: Oct. 7 “humiliated Israel to the dirt”

Rajoub: “What happened on Oct. 7…  the most important thing is that this occupation [i.e., Israel]), this aggression, and this invincible army indeed turned out to be made of cardboard, and indeed turned out to be like cobwebs, and they were humiliated to the dirt.”

[Jibril Rajoub, Facebook page, Aug. 7, 2024]

Hitler would learn Nazism and fascism from Netanyahu

Rajoub: “The Palestinian people is on the front line of defense against the fascist and racist occupation … If Hitler were to come, he would learn Nazism and fascism from [Israeli PM] Netanyahu.”

[Jibril Rajoub, Facebook page, June 26, 2026]

Rajoub wants to bridge the gaps with Hamas

Rajoub: “I call on Egypt and [Egyptian] President El-Sisi personally to hold an urgent meeting between Fatah and Hamas to bridge the political gaps, organizational gaps, and gaps related to the struggle [against Israel].”

[Jibril Rajoub, Facebook page, Oct. 12, 2025]

Rajoub endorses Hamas’ massacre and terror war on Israel on Oct. 7 as “war of defense”

Rajoub: “We [in Fatah] view what happened on Oct. 7, [2023] as a response to the crimes, terror, and policy of ethnic cleansing that this occupation has been committing against our people since 1948 until today.”

[Jibril Rajoub, Facebook page, Jan. 31, 2025]

Rajoub: “We in Fatah, from the first day, have said that this is a defensive response to the Israeli aggression.”

[Jibril Rajoub, Facebook page, Feb. 11, 2025]

Israel is responsible for the Israelis killed on Oct. 7

Rajoub: “What happened on Oct. 7, [2023] was a reaction to the systematic Israeli crimes … the Israeli government is the only responsible for what’s going on, for the suffering, whether for the Palestinians or some Israeli civilians who were killed on Oct. 7.”

[Jibril Rajoub, Facebook page, Aug. 2, 2025]

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The author is the Founder and Director of Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this article first appeared.

Broń Hamasu znaleziona w szpitalu Al Shifa w Gazie.

Ciężar dowodu spoczywa na Żydzie – Standardy dowodowe są zawsze inne

Elder of Ziyon

W maju 2026 roku brytyjski rabin Yoni Birnbaum zarezerwował letni dom wakacyjny we wschodniej Francji dla swojej rodziny. Cała procedura przebiegała rutynowo: wymieniono e-maile, rezerwacja została przyjęta, wpłacono pięćdziesięcioprocentowy zadatek. Miesiąc później właściciele ponownie się odezwali. Zainteresowała ich tożsamość gościa, ponieważ w jego adresie e-mail znajdowało się słowo „rabbi” („rabin”), i zażądali od Birnbauma wyjaśnienia jego poglądów politycznych. Czy należał do ruchu potępiającego działania Izraela w Strefie Gazy, na Zachodnim Brzegu i w Libanie? Czy nie aprobował „nieludzkiego i zbrodniczego” postępowania izraelskiej armii? Jeśli nie, z przykrością odwołają rezerwację i zwrócą zadatek, ponieważ ugoszczenie go byłoby zbyt sprzeczne z ich zasadami.

Gdyby jego adres e-mail nie zawierał słowa „rabbi”, kwestia Gazy nigdy by się nie pojawiła. Rezerwacja została zaakceptowana, a pieniądze przyjęto od klienta, którego uznano za zwyczajną brytyjską rodzinę. Dopiero gdy odkryto, że jest Żydem, wprowadzono warunek, którego nie stawiano żadnemu innemu gościowi: przejdź test ideologicznej „czystości” albo stracisz rezerwację.

Dwa stulecia wcześniej rewolucja francuska przyznała Żydom obywatelstwo – Żydom sefardyjskim w styczniu 1790 roku, a aszkenazyjskim we wrześniu 1791 roku. Było to pełne, równe i prawnie zagwarantowane obywatelstwo, takie samo jak każdego innego Francuza. Przynajmniej do czasu.

W 1806 roku Napoleon zwołał Zgromadzenie Żydowskich Notabli, liczące 111 rabinów i świeckich przywódców, i zadał im dwanaście pytań. Czy Żydzi urodzeni we Francji uważają Francję za swoją ojczyznę? Czy są zobowiązani jej bronić i przestrzegać jej prawa cywilnego? Czy prawo żydowskie pozwala im traktować Francuzów jak braci? Nie zadowoliło go pozostawienie im czasu na naradę i przedstawienie odpowiedzi. Z góry wskazał, jakich odpowiedzi oczekuje, a następnie zwołał Wielki Sanhedryn, aby nadać tym odpowiedziom moc wiążących postanowień.

Kościół katolicki uregulował swoje relacje z państwem francuskim poprzez konkordat, protestanci – w drodze negocjacji. Nie zwoływano zgromadzenia księży, by składali przysięgę, że katolicy uważają Francję za swoją ojczyznę, zanim uznano ich za godnych obywatelstwa. Tego rodzaju wymóg zarezerwowano wyłącznie dla Żydów – siedemnaście lat po tym, jak formalnie stali się pełnoprawnymi obywatelami. Jak ujął to historyk Simon Schwarzfuchs, rozwiązanie to było równoznaczne z ogłoszeniem, że Żydzi pozostaną na okresie próbnym, dopóki nie udowodnią, że zasługują na obywatelstwo, które już posiadali.

Podobnie jak w przypadku tego francuskiego właściciela domu: prawo zostało najpierw przyznane. Warunek dodano później, ponieważ mieli do czynienia z Żydami.

Ten schemat jest jednak znacznie szerszy.

W listopadzie 2023 roku Siły Obronne Izraela (IDF) pokazały dziennikarzom broń, którą – jak twierdziły – odnaleziono w szpitalu Al-Szifa w Strefie Gazy. CNN poinformowała, że na późniejszych nagraniach widać więcej uzbrojenia niż na pierwszym filmie udostępnionym przez IDF, „co wskazuje, że broń mogła zostać przeniesiona lub umieszczona tam przed przybyciem ekip medialnych”. Wyraźna sugestia była taka, że dowody mogły zostać sfabrykowane.

Ta sama stacja relacjonuje jednak przejęcia broni w innych okolicznościach w zupełnie inny sposób. Gdy włoska policja skonfiskowała arsenał należący do skrajnie prawicowej komórki, CNN opublikowała zdjęcia zabezpieczonej broni. Tak samo postąpiła, gdy policja prezentowała broń przejętą po ucieczce z więzienia czy arsenał znaleziony w Virginia Beach. W każdym z tych przypadków funkcjonariusze oczywiście ułożyli broń do zdjęć – rozłożyli ją na stołach i odpowiednio zaaranżowali. Nikt jednak nie pisał, że taki sposób prezentacji „wskazuje, iż broń mogła zostać tam umieszczona”. Wszyscy rozumieją, że przygotowanie ekspozycji prawdziwie zabezpieczonej broni na potrzeby mediów nie jest tym samym co sfabrykowanie samego przejęcia. Wszyscy to rozumieją – dopóki stroną dokonującą przejęcia nie jest państwo żydowskie.

Ta asymetria działa zresztą w obu kierunkach jednocześnie. Twierdzenia IDF spotykają się z domyślnym założeniem, że zostały upozorowane. Natomiast dane o liczbie ofiar publikowane przez ministerstwo kontrolowane przez Hamas oraz relacje świadków żyjących pod rządami Hamasu są przedstawiane bez porównywalnego poziomu weryfikacji – często bez jakiejkolwiek weryfikacji. Jedna strona jest z góry traktowana z podejrzliwością. Drugiej z góry się wierzy. O tym, która z nich podlega któremu standardowi, nie decydują dowody. Decyduje tożsamość.

Istnieje określenie na odwrócenie zasady prawnej, z którym mamy tu do czynienia. Jest to zasada, którą odruchowo przyznajemy mordercom, złodziejom i terrorystom. Nie rozciągamy jej jednak na Żydów…

Link do oryginału:

Elder’s Substack

The Burden of Proof Is on the Jew

In May 2026, a British rabbi named Yoni Birnbaum booked a summer rental in eastern France for his family. The correspondence was routine: emails exchanged, booking accepted, fifty percent deposit paid. Then, a month later, the owners wrote again. They had grown curious about a guest whose email address contained the word “rabbi,” and they needed Birnbaum to…

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Exclusive: Miss Israel Pageant Organizers Deny Claims by Titleholder Melanie Shiraz That 2026 Competition Is Rigged

Shiryn Ghermezian

Melanie Shiraz being crowned Miss Israel 2025. Photo: Simon Soong | Edgar Entertainment

Organizers of the Miss Israel competition said in a statement given exclusively to The Algemeiner late Wednesday that they reject all accusations by current Miss Israel Melanie Shiraz about this year’s pageant being rigged.

Shiraz was crowned Miss Israel in July 2025 at the competition held in Miami, Florida. Shiraz went on to represent Israel at the 2025 Miss Universe pageant, which was held in Thailand in November.

For the last two years, the Miss Israel competition was held in Miami. The Miss Israel franchise is owned by the Israeli company Miss Israel LLC while Edgar Entertainment LLC is in charge of general production for the Miss Israel competition.

“Edgar Entertainment and the Miss Israel franchise categorically reject allegations that the competition is illegitimate, that winners are predetermined, or that the process is manipulated. Such claims are false, unfounded, and damaging,” attorneys for Miss Israel LLC said in a statement given to The Algemeiner in response to Shiraz’s accusations. “We demand that Ms. Shiraz and any other individuals cease and desist from publishing, repeating, or promoting false, misleading, or defamatory statements concerning the franchise, its ownership, or its management. We further request the prompt retraction of any such statements. All legal rights and remedies are expressly reserved.”

“As always, Miss Universe Israel welcomes cooperation with Israeli governmental bodies, community institutions, and organizations that wish to work constructively with us to ensure that the competition continues to represent Israel and the Jewish people with integrity, dignity, and professionalism,” the statement added.

In an Instagram video published earlier on Wednesday, Shiraz claimed she has been “pressured, intimidated, and threatened for speaking out” in support of Israel by the “non-Israeli, non-Jewish directorship” of the Miss Israel organization. Speaking about the process currently used to select Israel’s next Miss Israel, she further said no nationwide search took place in the country and that Israeli women were “never given a genuine opportunity” to compete for the country’s crown. She alleged that, instead, non-Israeli Jews were encouraged to apply for the 2026 competition, represent the Jewish state, “and establish eligibility afterwards,” meaning apply for Israeli citizenship only after being crowned Miss Israel. She accused the competition of becoming “completely detached from Israel.”

Miss Universe is a private organization and each country that participates is represented by an independently owned national franchise, including Miss Israel LLC. Lawyers for Miss Israel LLC told The Algemeiner that it operates the Miss Israel competition “in accordance with Miss Universe guidelines” and that its owner has been an Israeli citizen “since most likely before Melanie was born.”

“Edgar Entertainment was engaged as a professional management and production company to oversee operations, logistics, and event execution. While the owner of Edgar Entertainment – Edgar Saakyan – is neither Jewish nor Israeli, personnel and contractors are retained based on their professional qualifications and expertise,” the lawyers added. “It would be unreasonable to suggest that every vendor, contractor, or employee associated with an Israeli organization must themselves be Jewish or Israeli.”

The Miss Israel franchise “establishes its own eligibility requirements within the framework permitted by Miss Universe,” the lawyers said, in response to Shiraz’s claims about the competition pushing for non-Israelis to apply. They explained in their statement that Miss Israel franchise owners decided in the last two years to open the competition to Jewish candidates outside of Israel so that the titleholder could represent Jewish identity from around the world.

“For the past two competition cycles, the franchise temporarily expanded eligibility to include women of Jewish identity worldwide as an expression of Jewish peoplehood and solidarity with the State of Israel, particularly in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks,” the statement continued, referring to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and its massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, across southern Israel. “This approach was consistent in spirit with the principles underlying Israel’s Law of Return and Aliyah.”

According to the statement, unlike the previous two cycles, “the official application for the current pageant cycle — which has been publicly available on our website since the conclusion of the last competition and remains available today — explicitly requires applicants to possess either an Israeli passport or a Teudat Zehut (Israeli national identity card).”

The Miss Israel organization “recognizes as equally Israeli both those born in Israel and those who have chosen to make aliyah,” the lawyers said, referring to the process of Jews immigrating to Israel. “We reject any attempt to classify individuals as ‘more’ or ‘less’ Israeli based on the circumstances of their citizenship or personal background.”

Shiraz made several other allegations in the Instagram video she posted on Wednesday.

When the reigning Miss Israel tried to raise funds for competition expenses she paid for out of pocket, “I was met with threats to pay tens of thousands of dollars in costs unrelated to my participation,” she claimed. She gave details about the expenses, and claimed Saakyan also threatened to strip her of her title because of her fundraising efforts, in her interview with The Jerusalem Post this week.

Shiraz additionally found fault with the fact that the Miss Israel pageant was held outside of Israel for the last two years and did not include a Hebrew-speaking component.

“Genuine Israeli representation should have been the first priority,” she noted, before saying she believes the “integrity of Israel’s representation is being compromised.” Shiraz said she expressed her concerns about the Miss Israel competition to organizers but was ignored. She also sent a complaint in February to the Miss Universe organization about “financial extortion” but said that she was ignored as well, she told The Jerusalem Post.

Shiraz additionally shared with The Jerusalem Post a recording of an Edger Entertainment meeting that reportedly features a producer explaining how the 2026 Miss Israel competition had a predetermined winner and was designed to “look like a pageant.”

Lawyers for Miss Israel LLC told The Algemeiner that Shiraz’s decision to secretly record the private conversations, which took place in Florida, may result in them taking legal action against her.

“Florida is a two-party consent jurisdiction for the recording of private oral communications, and unauthorized recordings may carry legal consequences,” the attorneys noted. “We are reviewing this matter with legal counsel and expressly reserve all rights.”

Update: This article has been edited to clarify that Shiraz argued the 2026 selection process for the next Miss Israel is rigged. She did not claim that the 2024 or 2025 competitions were predetermined.

Zamir visits wounded troops ahead of Shavuot, says IDF on high alert

JNS Staff

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visits a wounded soldier, May 21, 2026. Credit: IDF.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited wounded soldiers at two rehabilitation centers on Thursday ahead of the Shavuot holiday, praising their resilience and emphasizing that the military remains on high alert across all fronts.

Accompanied by his wife, Orna Zamir, the IDF chief visited the Loewenstein Rehabilitation Medical Center and Rambam Health Care Campus, where he met with troops injured in combat and their families.

During the visits, Zamir toured hospital wards, spoke with wounded soldiers and their relatives, and thanked medical teams and personnel from the IDF Casualties Directorate and RAM-2 medical units for their work.

At Loewenstein, Zamir met with Lt. Col. A., commander of the 52nd Battalion, who was wounded in an explosive drone attack during fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon. At Rambam, he visited Col. Meir Biderman, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, along with other wounded soldiers, including Staff Sgt. S., who was also seriously injured in Lebanon on Wednesday.

Addressing Biderman, Zamir said the 401st Brigade had repeatedly proven its determination on the battlefield. “All the troops are awaiting your speedy recovery, and now your mission is to regain your strength, rehabilitate and return at full capacity,” he said.

He told the wounded soldiers, “The strength and resilience you and your families demonstrate throughout the recovery and rehabilitation process from complex combat injuries inspire the entire nation of Israel.”

The IDF chief added, “Even during the holiday of Shavuot, the IDF remains on highest alert and continues to operate decisively across all sectors, with high readiness and full preparedness for any mission,” he said.

Zamir praised the families of wounded soldiers for their support throughout the recovery process.

“The path you walk alongside your loved ones is inspiring,” he said. “The IDF is committed to continuing to accompany, care for and strengthen all wounded and disabled IDF troops—this is our ethical and moral responsibility.”

The chief of staff noted that the military continues to operate in multiple arenas and is prepared for any development “on land, in the air and at sea” as Israelis celebrate Shavuot.