FIFA, the governing body of world football, did not reach a decision on Thursday regarding a Palestinian request to suspend Israel, instead opting to initiate committee investigations to inform a future verdict.

During FIFA’s congress in Bangkok in May, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) called for the suspension of its Israeli counterpart and for Israeli teams to be barred from FIFA events.

Originally, FIFA planned to hold an extraordinary session of its ruling council before July 20 to review an independent legal analysis and determine the next steps. However, this deadline was extended to allow legal experts additional time to complete their report.

At a meeting on Thursday in Zurich, the FIFA council adopted the recommendations and findings from the legal analysis. The council decided to empower its disciplinary committee to investigate the alleged discrimination raised by the PFA.

Additionally, the FIFA governance, audit, and compliance committee will be tasked with examining the participation of Israeli football teams in competitions allegedly based in Palestinian territories, and will advise the FIFA Council accordingly.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated, “The FIFA Council has conducted due diligence on this very sensitive matter and, after a thorough assessment, has followed the advice of independent experts. The ongoing violence in the region underscores the urgent need for peace above all else. We are deeply saddened by the situation, and our thoughts are with those suffering. We call on all parties to restore peace to the region immediately.”