IRELAND'S head coach walked out of a press conference following a heated exchange with Israeli journalists ahead of a closed-doors Nations League match in Serbia.
The game is being held on neutral ground in Serbia, after the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) refused to host the match at home for security reasons.
Irish head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson cut the pre-match press conference short following a series of questions from Israeli media.
One journalist asked: "What do you say about the people that you support? Their ideology is based on murder. Just this week, one of them tried to kill 170 Israeli passengers, including 27 innocent children and thousands of others."
The journalist was referring to the incident on Wednesday during a FlyDubai flight from the UAE to Israel, in which a co-pilot attacked another pilot.
An Irish official said in response: "We are not doing any questions like this today. We are doing football questions."
A second journalist then asked Hallgrimsson about allegations Irish players called their opponents "monkeys" in Hungary, where the reverse fixture is held.
The Press Association reports that, based on UEFA's reports from the Hungary match, the FAI does not believe any issues were raised by the Israeli players during the contest.
It is understood that the FAI is continuing to investigate instances of alleged racism directed at Israeli players during the match.
The Irish press officer responded: "That is completely untrue, that is completely untrue. We're going to finish the press conference there."
Hallgrimmson is then seen standing up from his seat, while a staff member approaches the Israeli journalist and attempts to take the microphone off him.
The Irish press officer continues: "That's a lie, you've just broadcast a lie, you've just broadcast a lie."
The journalist responds: "This is not a lie, that's what they said. Don't touch me man, don't touch me, don't touch me, alright?
"This is a press conference. We're invited here, we can ask a question."
The journalist has the microphone taken away, and the Irish delegation leave the room.
Earlier, Hallgrímsson was asked whether there should be a conversation about whether Ireland and Israel should meet each other again.
"That’s maybe a question that is not for me to answer," he said.
"But given that we now have the possibility of looking back and seeing all the things that happened, I think Uefa must take that into consideration that they can’t have this happening again just for players’ welfare.
“And, yeah, but it raises awareness of the things that are going on. And, if it changes anything, I think that’s worth it. But I think it’s not for me to answer this one. It’s a good question to Uefa."
Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in their first match in Hungary on Tuesday, following a tense buildup in which the Irish squad voted to fulfil the fixture despite unease over Israel's brutal onslaught of Gaza, which has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians.
Irish players wore black armbands during the match and pointedly lowered their heads as the Israeli national anthem was played.
