Caoimhin Kelleher REFUSES handshake with Israel captain ahead of Nations League clash

On 4 October 2026 the Republic of Ireland squad again refused to shake hands with Israel ahead of their Nations League meeting in Serbia, with captain Caoimhin Kelleher turning away from Israeli skipper Dor Peretz as the teams lined up for kick‑off.

Bowing heads during the anthem

Both Irish and Israeli players bowed their heads as the Israeli national anthem played, repeating the gesture first seen in the previous fixture in Hungary.

The Irish side also declined to exchange pennants before the match, mirroring the protocol they adopted when Dara O'Shea and Manor Solomon led their respective teams last weekend.

Background to the standoff

Pressure from the ‘Stop The Game’ campaign, backed by Irish Sport for Palestine and former internationals Brian Kerr and James McClean, has called for a boycott of Israel’s matches because of the Gaza conflict.

Despite the calls, Ireland voted to play, wearing black armbands in the first encounter, which ended in a 3‑0 victory for the Irish.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu was unavailable for both matches, and Finn Azaz, of Israeli heritage, remained on the bench for Ireland.

Prior to the Serbian fixture, a press conference was cut short after an Israeli journalist alleged Irish players used a racist slur; Irish press officer Kieran Crowley denied the claim as “completely untrue”.

UEFA later banned two Israeli journalists from post‑match briefings following the controversy.