UEFA will consider lifting a ban on matches in Israel at the end of the month following a meeting with the country's foreign minister Silvan Shalom last night.

UEFA-sanctioned games are not permitted in Israel after a ban was imposed in March 2002 because of the security situation.

Shalom, accompanied by Israel FA chief Gavri Levi, met UEFA's chief executive Gerhard Aigner and his successor Lars Christer Olsson in Switzerland to plead for the ban to be lifted.

"It was a very positive meeting and the minister was able to make the case for matches to be played in Israel," UEFA communications director Mike Lee told Reuters. "We made it clear that there is no change in the position, but we will be reviewing that at the end of the month."

UEFA have already named neutral venues for Israeli club sides in Europe next season but Israel want to play their final home Euro 2004 Group One qualifier against Malta on September 11 in Tel Aviv.

FIFA, however, said last month that Israel's home World Cup qualifiers would be played in Tel Aviv regardless of UEFA's position.

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