(6 Jun 2018) Some residents in the West Bank on Wednesday welcomed the decision by the Argentinean Football Federation to cancel a World Cup warm-up match that Israel had moved to Jerusalem from Haifa.
Argentina is one of the most popular national teams among Israelis and fans had been scrambling to get a chance to see Lionel Messi in person.
But after a fierce Palestinian campaign, which included images of Argentina's white and sky-blue striped jersey stained with red paint resembling blood and threats to burn Messi posters, Argentina's football federation announced it was skipping the event.
Palestinians celebrated the cancellation as a major triumph.
One Ramallah resident said the decision made him happy and that he would support Argentina throughout the World Cup.
Another said the decision was more of a political victory.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called Argentine President Mauricio Macri and urged him to intervene, to no avail.
Israeli opposition figures have accused sports minister Miri Regev of bringing on the politicisation of the sporting event by insisting on moving the game from Haifa to contested Jerusalem and by trying to orchestrate a politicised photo-op with Messi.

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