Israel's temporary office in Qatar to handle diplomatic affairs during the World Cup will close this week after the end of the tournament, an Israeli source told i24NEWS.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The move was expected following the tournament, which concluded Sunday with Argentina crowned champions following a thrilling final match against France, decided 4-2 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 deadlock.
Qatar does not maintain diplomatic ties with Israel and the House of Thani ruling family is considered a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian flag was ubiquitous at the tournament despite a ban on flags, with authorities removing Israeli and other flags during matches. It was the first World Cup to take place in a Middle Eastern county.
Israel secured a deal last month with Qatar and FIFA before the start of the World Cup to allow Israeli nationals to travel to the country to attend matches, where they would be able to receive consular services. History was made on Nov. 20 when the first direct commercial flight between Israel and the capital Doha took off with Israeli soccer fans.
The Foreign Ministry praises conduct of 10,000 fans who traveled to the Gulf state, saying it had to deal with only isolated problems involving Israelis.
According to Israeli diplomatic officials in Doha, 10 cases required diplomatic treatment, including one medical emergency in which an Israeli was hospitalized before being airlifted back home. The majority of the other incidents concerned misplaced or stolen passports.
"We are happy to say that the entire event went off with virtually no problems," Iris Ambor, head of the Israeli delegation at the World Cup, was quoted by i24NEWS as saying. "We are full of appreciation for the Israeli visitors who took responsibility for themselves and acted with discretion throughout."
JNS.org contributed to this report.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
