The dispute comes amid mounting controversy in Ireland over the fixtures, scheduled for 27 September and 4 October. Hallgrímsson sparked the row after saying: "We're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide. We're playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel." Martin said Hallgrímsson's comments reflected concerns about the scale of death and destruction in Gaza, also citing remarks by the UN secretary general, António Guterres.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) passed a motion last November requesting that European football governing body, Uefa, suspend Israel from international competition. The FAI has said it has little choice but to fulfil the fixtures or risk sporting and financial sanctions. The 27 September match, officially Israel's home fixture, will be played at a neutral venue, in Debrecen, Hungary, while Ireland's designated home match on 4 October was moved from Dublin's Aviva Stadium to Backa Topola, Serbia, due to concerns over disruption and security.
More than 160 Irish sportspeople have signed an open letter calling on the national team to boycott the matches, and protesters gathered outside the team's Dublin hotel on Monday. Further protests are planned around the country in the run-up to the games.