DUBAI: A football pitch used by Palestinian refugees in the West Bank was saved from demolition after Aleksander Ceferin, the president of European football’s governing body UEFA, stepped in.

The Aida refugee camp, located outside Bethlehem, was due to be demolished. Israeli media said the decision was made by the Central Command due to security reasons based on its location. 

However, The Guardian reported that Israel Defense Forces said the pitch was built unlawfully.

Now, however, it seems the pitch has been saved. A statement from UEFA said: “We can confirm that the UEFA president has been in contact with the Israel Football Federation regarding the preservation of a football pitch in a refugee camp in the West Bank.”

The IFA was facing scrutiny from international football organizations and was allegedly on the verge of being banned from taking part in UEFA competitions.