Jibril Rajoub
Jibril RajoubReuters

Senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub, who also heads the Palestine Football Association (PFA), on Tuesday accused FIFA, the governing body of soccer, of caving to Israeli pressure.

Rajoub, along with several anti-Israel organizations, has long attempted to force FIFA to ban six Israeli teams based in Judea and Samaria, claiming that their presence there is in breach of FIFA statutes, which forbids another member association playing on another territory without permission.

Last October, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced his organization would not intervene in the issue and that it considers the matter closed.

Speaking Tuesday during a visit to Algiers, Rajoub claimed that Infantino “did not deal appropriately” with the PFA’s complaints against Israel.

"The behavior of Infantino is incorrect and unrealistic and is subject to the influence and will of Israel, despite a letter from the Secretary-General of the United Nations that the West Bank settlements are illegal," said Rajoub, who was quoted by the Palestinian Authority-based Al-Quds newspaper.

He added that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will hear the PFA’s appeal in the matter on March 6 and 7.

Rajoub, despite being a member of Fatah which is often touted as a peace partner of Israel’s, is notorious for his anti-Israel actions.

He has in the past said that Jews deserved the genocide inflicted on them by the Nazis. Prior to that he declared that if the PA had a nuclear bomb, it would use it against Israel.

More recently, Rajoub exploited his entry to Israel in order to visit the family of terrorist murderer Karim Younes, an Israeli Arab who, together with his cousin Maher Younes, kidnapped and murdered Israeli soldier Avraham Bromberg in 1980.

Two weeks ago, Rajoub was filmed as he verbally confronted Border Police officers at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hevron, telling one of them to "shut up, go to hell."