The Israel Football Association has publicly condemned Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, accusing him of "ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity" in a statement addressing comments the manager made last week.
In its brief response the association singled out those three words to describe Hallgrimsson's remarks, signalling a sharp rebuke from the Israeli governing body. The FA's statement framed the manager's comments as unacceptable, but gave no further detail on any follow-up actions.
Heimir Hallgrimsson, who leads the Republic of Ireland national team, has not been quoted in the Israel FA release. The manager's original comments, made last week and which prompted the reaction, were not repeated in the Israeli statement.
The exchange represents an unusual public dispute between national football bodies. Both sides are likely to come under scrutiny from fans and media while observers await any clarification or further comment from Hallgrimsson or the Ireland Football Association.