Austria: “End Genocide” protest at UEFA Nations League Israel game

As the group phase of the 2026/27 men’s UEFA Nations League kicked off tonight, during the Austria vs Israel football match in Linz, Amnesty International Austria displayed a banner inside the stadium saying: “END GENOCIDE”.

Amnesty International is calling on UEFA and FIFA to suspend the Israel Football Association (IFA), due to clear evidence that it continues to support illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Our protest is directed against many governments and sporting authorities that know exactly what is happening in the Gaza Strip and still do nothing

Alexander Weihrauch, Campaigner at Amnesty International Austria

“Today, thousands of people watched the Austria vs Israel match in Linz. For a moment, we directed their gaze towards Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where death and suffering continue despite the so-called ceasefire.

“Our protest is directed against many governments and sporting authorities that know exactly what is happening in the Gaza Strip and still do nothing to stand against genocide,” said Alexander Weihrauch, Campaigner at Amnesty International Austria.

“Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, its system of apartheid against all Palestinians, including the ethnic cleansing in Area C of the West Bank and its unlawful occupation of the whole OPT must not disappear from public attention.

“Silence in the face of Israel’s long-standing serious violations of Palestinians’ rights and of its utter disregard of its international legal obligations further entrenches Israel’s impunity and the continued suffering of Palestinians. This must end, Israel must be held accountable for its violations of international law.”

**For photos and AV materials click **here

Background

In October 2025, Amnesty International wrote to FIFA and UEFA calling for the suspension of the IFA unless clubs from illegal settlements in OPT were immediately excluded from participating in domestic Israeli leagues.

In March 2026, FIFA announced that no action will be taken against IFA over the participation of clubs based in illegal settlements in Israel’s leagues. With this position FIFA is indirectly legitimizing, and risks contributing to, Israel’s unlawful occupation and its severe human rights violations and international crimes against Palestinians, including the genocide in the Gaza Strip and crime against humanity of apartheid, while also ignoring the International Court of Justice’s 2024 Advisory Opinion. Amnesty International is also calling on the Austrian government (as well as governments from all EU member states) to support the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, ban all trade relations with Israeli entities most responsible for international crimes against Palestinians, including settlements in the OPT, and support international and national justice mechanisms seeking to hold perpetrators to account.

At the beginning of September, 12 states, including eight EU member states, announced the intention to adopt restrictions on goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the unlawfully occupied West Bank. Austria did not join this initiative.

Photos and footage here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1E2ouAa0VA9HtsR7ZGtXXWZavqMW_VMLB

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