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Israel blames Palestinians for cancellation of Argentina friendly

Israel blames Palestinians for cancellation of Argentina friendly

By REUTERS

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - Argentina Training - Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, Barcelona, Spain - June 5, 2018 Protestors outside the training session REUTERS/Albert Gea

JERUSALEM: Israel on Wednesday blamed Palestinian pressure for Argentina’s cancellation of its World Cup warmup against Israel, a match that had been set for contested Jerusalem. The Palestinians accused Israel of using the fixture and the participation of Barcelona ace Lionel Messi to underpin its disputed claim to Jerusalem, which US President Donald Trump recognized last year as Israel’s capital in a break from international consensus.