Podcast: Politics on the pitch - Ireland v Israel
Pressure is mounting on the Republic of Ireland football team and the FAI to pull out of the fixture against Israel due to take place in Hungary this Sunday.
The Republic of Ireland football team and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) face mounting pressure to withdraw from an upcoming match against Israel. Over 160 Irish sportspeople have signed an open letter through the Irish Sport for Palestine Group, urging the FAI to reconsider the fixture. This comes as the situation in Gaza continues to dominate international discourse.
Ireland's Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, condemning the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. Martin emphasized that the situation remains an affront to all that is decent.
Dr. Graham Finlay, from the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin (UCD), noted that the UN gathering is not solely about the proceedings within the assembly chamber. He highlighted the complex dynamics that exist both on and off the stage, including the Israeli delegate recording names of those who walked out during Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech.
Finlay also pointed out the unusual interactions among leaders, such as Taoiseach Martin riding the subway with Zohran Mamdani, a prominent US politician. Despite the grandstanding and social media moments, Finlay believes that the United Nations is under significant threat.
Furthermore, Dr. Finlay discussed a concerning trend: a drop in the number of visas issued for students from Palestine to Ireland. Between January and September 2026, 115 Palestinian student visa applications were refused compared to just 25 refusals in 2025.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
