Israel has reached an agreement with the International Football Association “FIFA” to allow its fans to travel to Qatar to attend the 2022 World Cup matches next November and December.
In a joint announcement by the foreign, defense, culture and sports ministers, Israel said its citizens – who normally can only enter Qatar with a foreign passport – will be able to travel freely and attend matches there during the upcoming tournament.
Under the terms of the deal reached with FIFA, football’s international governing body, Israelis wishing to attend must first purchase a match ticket, then apply online for a fan ID, which enables the holder to enter Qatar and enable them to apply for residency, according to the newspaper.Times of Israel“.
The announcement stated that efforts were also being made to facilitate direct flights from Israel to the Gulf state, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
There was no immediate comment from FIFA or Qatar, which has said in the past it would not ban Israelis from attending the tournament.
During the past weeks, Israel has been studying the idea of issuing a recommendation to its citizens not to travel to Qatar, as officials are particularly concerned regarding the Iranian presence in the World Cup matches.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid described the move as “another diplomatic achievement,” saying that the World Cup was an opportunity for “new and warm relations,” referring to efforts to establish official relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, as the Israeli newspaper says.
For his part, Defense Minister Benny Gantz expressed his hope that “the Israelis who visit (Qatar) will strengthen the bonds of understanding between the citizens of the two countries.”
Sports tournaments helped advance Israel’s new diplomatic horizons with the Gulf states even before the Ibrahim Treaty, which linked the UAE and Bahrain to formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
In 2018, Abu Dhabi began allowing the Israeli flag to be raised and the national anthem played during sporting events, ending a longstanding policy it shares with most other Gulf states.
Qatar hosted an Israeli trade office from 1995 to 2000, but it is unlikely to join other Gulf states in establishing full ties with Israel due to its special relationship with Iran, according to The Times of Israel.
The Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports, Chile Trooper, noted that “sports have the ability to cross continents and connect peoples and countries,” and welcomed the ability of Israelis to participate in “the largest football celebration in the world.”
And the newspaper “Israel Hayom” reported last April that nearly 15,000 Israelis had already bought tickets for the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in November and December.
Thursday’s statement did not address security concerns regarding travel to Qatar, a country that has strong ties to the West, Iran and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.
