The Irish national soccer team was spotted wearing black armbands and refused to shake the Israeli players' hands on Sunday's UEFA Nations League match in Debrecen, Hungary.
The decision follows several conflicts within the team, with players even demanding not to play the game due to the war in Gaza.
According to UEFA rules, black armbands are reserved for universally recognized tragedies, periods of national mourning, or the passing of prominent football figures, and require prior approval from the soccer association.
England, for example, wore approved black armbands in its latest game against Spain on Saturday to remember English soccer legend Kevin Keegan, who passed away in July.
It's not clear that Ireland received the approval.
The Irish side also decided to lower their heads when the Israeli anthem was being played, something that generated backlash on social media.
Ireland struck early in the game, with three successive goals in the first 25 minutes of play. On the third goal, midfielder Jack Moylan took off the black armband and kissed it to celebrate.
Irish soccer player with Israeli descent benched
Finn Azaz, who is Irish with Israeli descent, was benched for the match, following rumors that he was among the players pushing for the match to be played and reports that he is considering retiring from international football due to the conflict.
According to reports by The Irish Independent, Azaz made an "impassioned speech" during an Irish team meeting to decide what to do about the upcoming fixture, and whether the squad would forfeit the match, play it with a statement, or without one.
Azaz has not made any public statements regarding his international career or the situation with the fixture against Israel, with The 42 report mentioning that the suggestion of retirement could have been raised by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).
Sa'ar calls out 'Irish neutrality'
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar published a statement calling out "Ireland's neutrality" by showing a picture of the Irish soccer national team doing the Nazi salute during a match against Germany in 1939.
"In order to 'honor the hosts,' the Irish players stood before kick-off and gave the Nazi salute as the German anthem 'Deutschland über alles' was played," Sa'ar wrote on Twitter/X.
"In 1945, when the world already knew full well what had happened, Irish Prime Minister Éamon de Valera saw fit to visit the German representative in Ireland to offer his condolences on Hitler’s death," he added.
"Back then, they gave the Nazi salute. This time, they stand on the side of Palestinian terrorism. Above the black armbands the Irish players will wear tonight flies the black flag of jihadism," Sa'ar concluded and wished good luck to the Israeli players.
This is a developing story.