England v Australia To be Breceded By Period Of Silence For Victims In Israel and Gaza2 min read
England players will wear black armbands against Australia
A period of silence will be held before England’s game with Australia for “the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine”.
The Football Association also said players would wear black armbands for the match at Wembley on Friday.
More than 1,200 people have been killed after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a series of attacks on Israel.
Israel then launched air strikes on Gaza and stopped food, water, fuel and medicine going into the territory.
More than 1,300 people have been killed in Gaza since the retaliatory strikes, with 338,000 displaced.
“On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine,” the FA said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with them, and their families and friends in England and Australia and with all the communities who are affected by this ongoing conflict.
“We stand for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering.”
It said only “flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality for competing nations” would be allowed inside Wembley for the match against Australia and Tuesday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy.
A Football Australia spokesperson told BBC Sport: “The English Football Association consulted with Football Australia on their proposed plans and public statement, which we are aligned on.”
The English FA statement did not include mention of the Wembley arch.
BBC Sport reported on Wednesday that the governing body was unlikely to illuminate the arch in the colours of the Israel flag because of fears of a backlash from some communities.
Senior officials at the FA were understood to be wary of a perception they might be taking sides in the Middle East conflict.
Former FA chairman David Bernstein, who is Jewish, has said he is “deeply disappointed” but “not at all surprised” at the decision not to light the arch in the colours of the Israel flag.
Speaking to Jewish News, Bernstein added: “It is a tardy reaction to the horrors in Israel. This is a continuation of the double standards that football has shown in dealing with recent tragedies.”
