Ramallah, West Bank. 25th August, 2018

1. 00:00 Various, Ramallah street shots

2. 00:25 SOUNDBITE (English): Mohammed Ajabi, Ramallah resident:

"It's wrong, definitely wrong and I think there were unfair dealing with him in such ways, yes. If he has something to say, something that goes against his country, like stopping the Argentinian team from coming to play against the Israelis, it's his right to say so and it's his right to stand and protest, if that's his way of protesting, that's his way. He didn't do it violently, there was no violence, it was all peaceful, there were words, there was no physical thing where he was violent or he burned, or he would fight any Israelis, he just spoke what was on his mind and the Argentinian team listened, they didn't come and they didn't play so why should he be punished for doing something that he thinks is right, it's his freedom, it's his will, when it comes to freedom of speech you know everyone should be able to say what he wants, nothing more."

3. 01:17 More street shots

4. 01:37 Exterior of Palestine Football Association

5. 01:42 Sign on building reading Palestine Football Association

6. 01:47 Establishing shot of Susan Shalabi in office

7. 01:52 SOUNDBITE (English): Susan Shalabi, AFC Executive Committee member:

"We think it's absurd and in-proportionate because you know giving the maximum punishment over an infringement that was only based on media reports by a party that was not neutral, we think this was biased. But than in the end we will respect, as always, we respect the FIFA statutes, we respect the FIFA institutions but we also retain our rights to follow this issue in all the legal venues that are available to us."

8. 02:24 Various of Susan Shalabi working

9. 02:39 SOUNDBITE (English): Susan Shalabi, AFC Executive Committee member:

"Certainly there are political dimensions to this decision. First it was launched by the Israeli football association who everybody knows is in dispute before FIFA with the Palestine Football association and also a settler group was also involved, which is the Palestine media watch which everybody knows is a settler group which is biased in its reports and the evidence that was used by the disciplinary committee to evaluate the situation was only the evidence presented by these two, who had interest in the conviction of General Rajoub."

10. 03:17 Susan Shalabi sitting at her desk

11. 03:22 Sign reading Palestine Football Association

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:27

The Palestine Football Association on Saturday (25th August) lashed out at FIFA for banning the association's president, Jibril Rajoub, from games for a year for inciting hatred and violence toward Argentine icon Lionel Messi.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The head of Palestinian soccer said on Saturday he will appeal FIFA's year-long ban on him for inciting against Argentine superstar Lionel Messi as part of his campaign to stop Argentina's national team from playing in Israel.

Jibril Rajoub told The Associated Press he was consulting with his lawyers and will "use every possible opportunity" to fight the decision. He spoke by phone from China and said he planned a press conference upon his return to Ramallah later this week.

Rajoub's Palestine Football Association has lashed out at the decision by international soccer's ruling body as "absurd and lacking in evidence."

FIFA said Jibril Rajoub "incited hatred and violence" by calling on soccer fans "to target the Argentinian Football Association and burn jerseys and pictures of Lionel Messi."

Argentina eventually abandoned the trip to Jerusalem for a game against Israel in June.

Argentina Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie said at the time players felt "totally attacked, violated" after images emerged of the team's white and sky-blue striped jerseys stained with red paint resembling blood.

FIFA imposed the minimum ban allowed in its disciplinary code for inciting hatred or violence.

It prevents Rajoub from attending matches or engaging with the media at or near stadiums on match days for a year.

Rajoub, who is also head of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, was fined 20,000 Swiss francs ($20,300 USD).

The punishment marks an embarrassing blow for Rajoub, who has long lobbied FIFA to sanction Israel for what he called its restriction of movement of Palestinian players.

Israel has rejected the Palestinian campaign as an attempt to politicize sports and has cited security concerns as the reason behind the occasional restrictions placed on Palestinian players, particularly in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Rajoub's organisation accused FIFA of bowing to pressure of "interest groups" and Jewish West Bank settlers who sought to punish Rajoub for his comments.