The British government has criticised the Football Association (FA) for its decision not to light up Wembley Stadium’s arch in blue and white in solidarity with Israel following recent attacks by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. Wembley, the iconic home of England’s national football team, has previously illuminated its arch with the colour of other countries to show support, including Ukraine and Turkey. However, it will not do the same for Israel, according to media reports.
Lucy Frazer, the UK Secretary for Culture, Media, and Sport, expressed her disappointment in a statement on social media, saying she had conveyed her views to the FA. She emphasised the government’s clear stance of standing with Israel and highlighted the significance of words and actions in times like these.
In response to the FA’s decision, the UK government projected the Israeli flag onto Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street residence, and the Parliament illuminated itself in blue and white. Similar displays of solidarity have been seen in other parts of the Western world.
The FA released a statement on Thursday, announcing that flags and shirts showing support for victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not be allowed during England’s upcoming games against Australia and Italy at Wembley. Instead, players will wear black armbands for the friendly match against Australia on Friday, and there will be a moment of silence before kick-off.
While the FA mentioned remembering the innocent victims in Israel and Palestine in their statement, they did not address the issue of lighting up Wembley’s arch. The statement clarified that only flags, replica kits, and other representations of nationality for the competing nations would be permitted inside Wembley Stadium during the matches.
The upcoming matches include a friendly against Australia on Friday and a European Championship qualifier against Italy on Tuesday.
