Israeli and Palestinian representatives refused to shake hands at FIFA congress

During the FIFA congress in Vancouver, Canada, Infantino sought to have the chairman of the Palestinian Football Association, Jibril Rajoub, shake hands and be photographed with his Israeli counterpart, Basim Sheikh Suliman.

Instead, the situation became tense, and an irritated Rajoub began to argue while keeping his distance from Suliman.

"We are suffering," Rajoub told Infantino, according to Norwegian VG.

There was no handshake, and both representatives left the stage.

Infantino tried to salvage the situation and thanked them both:

"Let's work together to give children hope," he said.

"I think Infantino, with good intentions, tried to get a joint picture or a handshake," Rajoub told VG, "but the Israeli representative is not the 'right partner.'"

After the congress, Rajoub made another statement in which he questioned Israel's right to be part of FIFA at all, and said the federation should impose sanctions against Israel for human rights violations.

Representatives of the Palestinian Football Association have long argued that Israel is violating FIFA's bylaws by allowing teams from West Bank settlements to play in the national league.