Petition to exclude Israel from 2024 Olympics gains 550k signatures
Despite the high civilian death toll in Gaza, Israel is still permitted to participate in international sports events
In anticipation of the 2024 Olympics in Paris starting on July 26, the US-based nonprofit Avaaz has initiated a petition opposing Israel's participation in the international event, which has already neared 550,000 signatures.
The NGO affirmed to the International Olympics Committee, “As citizens from across the world, we call on you to ban Israel from the Olympic Games until their government ceases its assault on innocent civilians in Gaza.”
Almost 38,000 have been killed by Israel's genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Over half of those killed were women and children, as over 80 percent of the population has been displaced.
Avaaz added that until Tel Aviv ends its assault on Gaza and its apartheid, Israel should not be allowed to participate in the 2024 Olympics.
The NGO added that as the world unites for the Olympics, a ban on Israeli participation in the events would make an opportunity to convey that the mass slaughter of civilians is unacceptable to the global community.
Another petition, created by Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25), calling for Israel's suspension from international sports, has garnered over 107,000 signatures.
DiEM25 asserted that the only sustainable resolution necessitates cooperation between both sides toward a single, democratic, and secular state in historic Palestine for both Jews and Palestinians.
The International Olympic Committee, FIFA, UEFA, and FIBA, among others, have allowed Israel to continue participating in their events despite being quick to suspend Russia for its war on Ukraine, leaving many to point out the double standard by sports associations against Palestinians.