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<\/a><\/p>\nPro-Palestinian activists protest with a socceer-shaped sign and a Palestinian flag outside Wembley Stadium to demand that the Football Association issue a public statement calling for the Israeli Football Association (IFA) to be suspended from participation in UEFA and FIFA tournaments in 225. (Mark Kerrison\/In Pictures via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cThe president and the secretary of state have made it perfectly clear that people who want to sow discord in this country are not welcome here,\u201d Kaploun told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on Friday. \u201cPeople who want to bring their brand of hate to the United States with antisemitism are not welcome. Coming to this country is a privilege. It\u2019s not a right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kaploun\u2019s comments on a potential ban were first reported by Euractiv, which said he told a European Jewish Association conference in Brussels that the United States was \u201cholding countries accountable for ministers who are saying things, and they are not being allowed into the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Kaploun dismissed Euractiv\u2019s report that the United States would institute a ban specifically on European politicians, instead saying that \u201ceverybody is judged as an individual.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there is a minister that is promoting, you know, there are people who are promoting right-wing antisemitism or left-wing antisemitism,\u201d Kaploun said. \u201cEither way, coming to the United States is a privilege, not a right, and everybody is judged on making sure that they\u2019re going to be coming to this country, that they\u2019re going to not ferment hate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in cities across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, will be the organization\u2019s largest event to date, featuring 48 national teams.<\/p>\n
The countries that qualified include several that have battled openly \u2014 and in some cases literally \u2014 with Israel, such as Iran, Turkey and South Africa. (Israel, which has faced widespread calls to be banned from the Union of European Football Associations, will not participate, having lost in qualifying competition last year.)<\/p>\n
Participating countries also include several where antisemitism is seen to be on the rise or where U.S. officials have sparred with leaders over issues related to Jewish safety \u2014 for example Belgium, where the U.S. ambassador recently challenged the health minister publicly over the arrest of mohels who performed Jewish circumcisions.<\/p>\n
Kaploun, who was confirmed as antisemitism envoy in December, has taken aim at antisemitism in Europe in recent months, including in January when he split with the president of the Conference of European Rabbis over the root of antisemitism in the region.<\/p>\n
Kaploun\u2019s comments came as FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed at CNBC\u2019s Invest in America Forum on Wednesday that Iran would participate in the World Cup, despite its ongoing war and fragile ceasefire with the United States and Israel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Iranian team is coming for sure, yes,\u201d Infantino said. \u201cWe hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. As I said, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA World Cup task force, told Politico that the Trump administration did expect Iran to be in attendance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to speak for the Iranian team, but I will say that the president, when I\u2019ve talked to him, has invited the Iranian team here,\u201d Giuliani said. \u201cThe president of FIFA made a statement, I think, yesterday, that they\u2019re going to be coming. So we expect them here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Discussing who could be affected by potential bans, Kaploun pointed to those involved in the October decision by England\u2019s Aston Villa Football Club to prohibit Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a match, as well as individuals tied to the violence in Amsterdam last year that left several Maccabi Tel Aviv fans injured.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose people who are responsible for what occurred in Amsterdam at the soccer matches, or that are responsible for the lies that ended up resulting in tourists, people, not being allowed to come to a soccer match \u2014 those people who do those things will be held accountable and aren\u2019t welcome to come to the United States of America,\u201d Kaploun said.<\/p>\n