FRENCH GOALIE REFUSES TO PLAY IN ISRAEL

French goalie refuses to play in Israel: Fabien Barthez says he will not travel with teammates to Israel next week for game because of IDF's activity in territories (via Uncle Sticky)

France's national soccer team top goalie slammed Israel on Thursday, saying he refused to travel with his teammates to a planned match with Israel’s national team next week because of the the Israeli army's actions against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

“When I see all the suffering in the world, I don’t understand why they would want to play in Israel,” Fabien Barthez told a news conference in Paris. The French goalie also slammed Israel’s operations in the Palestinian territories, saying: “I don’t like it at all. I am speaking as a father and not as a soccer player.”

SEE ALSO: Soccer game takes political twist: Irish human rights groups call on soccer fans to boycott scheduled World Cup qualifying match against Israel By Ynetnews

Human rights groups in Ireland are calling on Irish national soccer team supporters to boycott a World Cup qualifying match against the Israeli national team. The organizations asked fans to refrain from making the trip to Israel for the May 26 match, and have also asked the Irish Football Association to boycott the game entirely due to the political situation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.