Israel in European qualifiers?

Israel in European qualifiers?

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FourWheelDrift

Original Poster:

89,635 posts

291 months

Sunday 3rd September 2006
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Hang on, have I missed something? Why are Israel in the European Championship qualifiing tables, in Englands group as well?

I know why the compete in the Eurovision Song contest (Eurovision being a TV broadcasting network of which they are part of) but this is different.

All information available says "officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia on the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Israel is a parliamentary democracy and the world's only Jewish state, though its population includes citizens from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds. Israel is bordered by Lebanon in the north, Syria and Jordan in the east, and Egypt in the south-west."

If it's bordered by Lebanon and Syria then are we to expect them competing next time? The cynics might suggest Lebanon and Israel are competing at the moment but I don't think many footballs are being kicked.

mark r skinner

16,744 posts

224 months

Sunday 3rd September 2006
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Yeah, I`ve always wondered about that. Heard on the radio this morning that none of the other middle east sides want to play them. Politics.

Andy Mac

73,668 posts

262 months

Sunday 3rd September 2006
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It is purely because no-one in the region will play them.