The friendly match between the Republic of Ireland national football team and the Qatar national team on Thursday evening turned into a platform for public protest against the anticipated match against Israel in the UEFA Nations League. Irish fans threw soft tennis balls bearing the Palestinian flag onto the pitch in the 10th and 20th minutes, prompting the referee to temporarily suspend the match amidst an atmosphere charged with political messages and solidarity with Gaza. The fans also wrote the phrase “Stop the match ” and raised Palestinian flags and banners demanding the cancellation of the Ireland-Israel match, reflecting a surge…