Britain this week refused entry visas to a team of Palestinian soccer players who were scheduled to play exhibition games across the UK. The decision came days before the Palestinian Under-19 team was due to arrive for a three-week tournament, with the opening game against Chester City set for next Thursday. Other games were scheduled against Tranmere Rovers on September 4 and Blackburn Rovers on September 8. The players were told the visas were blocked because of a perceived risk they would not return home to Gaza, the BBC reported.
| The team's visa applications were rejected "after every member failed to meet entry criteria." |
The ban has been criticized by War On Want, a charity based in London that is under investigation by the UK Charity Commission for allegedly violating its charity status for political campaigning. It was "hypocrisy" for the UK to deny entry to the Palestinian team but to allow the Israeli national squad entry to play England in London on September 8 in a Euro 2008 qualifier, War on Want said. "The refusal stands in marked contrast to the welcome given the Israeli national team, due to play England at Wembley on 8 September. This is despite calls for that match to be canceled in protest of continuing Israeli assaults on Palestinian towns, including the bombing of the national football stadium," said the charity.