The Palestine Football Association (PFA) has asked European football's governing body Uefa to bar Israel from hosting a tournament next year over Palestinian players in detention.

Simon Natas is a London-based lawyer specializing in criminal defense law and human rights. Natas is involved with the organization Jews for Justice for Palestinians and has defended a number of Palestine solidarity activists, including four who blockaded the cosmetics retailer Ahava’s London flagship store in Covent Garden on two occasions in 2009.

Imagine if a member of Team USA Basketball—let’s say Kobe Bryant—had been traveling to an international tournament only to be seized by a foreign government and held in prison for three years without trial or even hearing the charges for which he was imprisoned. Imagine if Kobe was allowed no visitation from family or friends. Imagine if he was left no recourse but to effectively end any future prospects as a player by terminating his own physical health by going on a hunger strike. Chances are we’d notice, yes?

A statement released today signed by more than 100 student leaders in the United Kingdom condemns a recent decision by Zefat Academic College that effectively bars Palestinians from running for election for the post of student union president.