Former FA chairman David Bernstein condemns slow response to Israel terror attacks… and reveals he is ‘shocked and hurt’ by its delay to light up Wembley arch as show of support 

• Several buildings in London were lit up in the colour of the Israeli flags 
• The Wembley arch is yet to be illuminated as show of support
• Hamas terrorists killed over 1,200 Israelis in the country’s deadliest attacks 

David Bernstein, the former chairman of the Football Association, said he was ‘hurt but not surprised’ by the body’s response to the terror attacks in Israel.

Over 1,200 people were killed over the weekend as Hamas terrorists rampaged through towns in southern Israel in the deadliest terrorist attack in the country’s history.

Sustained airstrikes from Israel on Gaza, meanwhile, have left around 900 people dead in the enclave.

The Israeli flag was projected on a number of public buildings in London, including 10 Downing Street and City Hall, as show of support on Sunday and was flown alongside the Union Flag at the Home Office on Monday.

Talks over whether to illuminate the Wembley Arch in the colours of the Israeli flag when England face Australia in a friendly on Friday, however, were still continuing on Tuesday.

David Bernstein has criticised the Football Association’s slow response to the attacks in Israel

Over 1,200 people were killed over the weekend as Hamas terrorists rampaged through towns in southern Israel

The attacks were the deadliest in Israel’s history and the deadliest ever carried out by Hamas

Bernstein, who led the FA between 2011 and 2013, condemned the slow response.

‘I am shocked, hurt, but not totally surprised that the Football Association has not yet had time to consider its reaction to the murder of nearly 1,000 people,’ he told The Telegraph.

‘I note how speedily it has reacted to other situations and I would welcome an explanation as to why the tragedy in Israel should be perceived so differently by the FA.

‘I also note this is in stark contrast to our Government, and particularly the Prime Minister, who has found time to respond appropriately to this horrendous situation.’

FA chief Mark Bullingham acknowledged a meeting over the nature of a show of support for Israel was yet to take place.

However, he noted the delay in taking a decision was due to the FA focusing on UK and Ireland joint bid, and the sole remaining in the running, to host Euro 2028.

UEFA officially named the UK and Ireland as the hosts of the tournament in Switzerland on Tuesday. 

‘We genuinely haven’t had that meeting yet. You can imagine over the last three days we have been very focused on everything here,’ Bullingham told The Telegraph. 

The Wembley Arch was lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag just a day after Russia invaded the country in February 2022

The Israeli flag was projected on 10 Downing Street on Sunday evening in London

It was also projected on the House of Commons in Westminster and several other buildings

‘We have seen the terrible events unfold on our television screens as everyone else has. Clearly, it is tragic and we will look at what we do over the next couple of days.’

Over the years, the Wembley arch has often been illuminated in the colours of national flags of countries afflicted by major tragedies.

A day after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the arch was illuminated in blue and yellow to show support to the latter.

The arch has also previously been lit up in the rainbow colours, to show the FA’s support for the LGBTQ community and it was illuminated in the colours of the Brazilian flag when Pele died in December last year.

On Tuesday, Mail Sport revealed the Premier League were facing calls from clubs to provide a formal response to the outbreak of war in Israel, with executives at several of them unhappy at the sport’s silence.

Senior figures at numerous clubs would like to express sympathy for the victims and offer some form of tribute, but are wary of taking unilateral action for fear of sparking a backlash which could endanger the safety of their own fans.

Numerous executives raised security concerns as one of their reasons for not speaking out, while others expressed fears about being seen to take sides in conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Meanwhile, UEFA confirmed over the weekend that Israel’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Switzerland, which was supposed to be played on Thursday in Tel Aviv, has been postponed until November 15.

FA chief Mark Bullingham acknowledged a meeting over the nature of a show of support for Israel was yet to take place

The nation’s European Under-21 Championship qualifiers against Estonia and Germany on October 12 and 17 respectively have also been postponed.

And European football’s governing body has also called a halt to an Under-17 mini-tournament involving Israel, Belgium, Gibraltar and Wales, due to run from Wednesday until October 17.

UEFA, however, is yet to indicate whether any tributes will be held over the international break.

It is understood, however, that a minute of silence will be held at Wembley ahead of the friendly against Australia.

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