England, Israel football match protest vigil

A Day of Action is being planned in London to protest against England playing Israel this Saturday in a qualifying match for Euro 2008.

The Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign and Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG) have organized a vigil outside Wembley Stadium for the two hours preceding the afternoon game.

The Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) said that the protest is part of the campaign to suspend Israel from international football until it complies with international law and UN resolutions.

"Israel operates an entrenched system of racial apartheid against its own non-Jewish inhabitants and has been illegally occupying Palestinian land," it said. The Israeli siege, it said, had "devastated" Palestinian daily lives.

J-BIG spokesperson Lucy Williams accused the English Football Association of "condoning Israeli war crimes" by allowing Saturday's qualifying match to be played.

It is disgraceful that England is playing against Israel at a time when the Palestinians suffer under an illegal colonial occupation, Williams said.

Top coincide with the match, an online petition has also been launched to bar Israel from participating in European and international competitions.

"Like the sporting boycott against Apartheid South Africa, only international pressure can make Israel end its violations of international Law and human rights towards the Palestinian people to bring about a just and lasting peace," the petition said.

Last month, the PSC urged the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) to reconsider excluding Israel from the Euro 2008 competition after initially dismissing calls.

The Day of Action, billed under the banner "Kick Israeli apartheid out of football -- fair play for Palestinians", is part of the international boycott campaign.