English Football Association to honor the Israeli and Palestinian victims at Wembley Stadium

LONDON (AP) — The English Football Association will pay tribute to the Israeli and Palestinian victims of the war in the Middle East when England hosts Australia in a friendly match at Wembley Stadium on Friday.

Plans, however, do not include lighting up the national stadium’s iconic arch in the colors of Israel’s flag, despite increasing calls to do so, the FA said Thursday.

The England and Australia teams will wear black armbands and observe a moment of silence before kick off.

“We stand for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering,” the FA said.

The soccer body also said it would only permit “flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality” for the nations competing on Friday. The same rules will apply when England hosts Italy in a European Championship qualifier on Tuesday.

Wembley’s arch has been lit up in the past in the colors of Ukraine’s flag after it was invaded by Russia and in the colors of Brazil when soccer great Pele died.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer