The Palestine Cup final has been postponed after Gaza-based players were refused permission to travel to the West Bank ©PFA

The Palestine Cup final has been postponed after Gaza-based players were refused permission to travel to the West Bank, according to the Palestine Football Association (PFA).

The game between Balata FC and Khadamat Rafah, winners of cups in the West Bank and Gaza, respectively, was due to be held tomorrow.

But the PFA was forced to postpone the second leg of the match after Israel granted only four travel applications from the Gaza-based Khadamat Rafah delegation, three of which were club officials.

The club President, vice-president, one doctor and a single player were those granted permits.

According to Agence-France Presse, Israel claimed security reasons was behind the decision not to allow the rest of the team into the West Bank.

The West Bank and Gaza are separated by Israel and Palestinians looking to travel to the former have to obtain permits from Israel.

The disputed West Bank territory has been a source of tension between Palestine and Israel for decades and has impacted on the local football scene with players regularly unable to get permits to travel there ©Getty Images
The disputed West Bank territory has been a source of tension between Palestine and Israel for decades and has impacted on the local football scene with players regularly unable to get permits to travel there ©Getty Images

In a statement, the PFA called for FIFA and its Confederations to intervene "to help the PFA safeguard its right to play football, and its obligation to organise National Competitions and participate in international competitions by taking effective measures to make sure football is played in Palestine without hindrance".

The Palestine Cup has been dogged by difficulty owing to the Israel and Palestine dispute.

The competition did not take place for 15 years as a result of issues with Israeli permits.

It resumed in 2015 following an intervention from world football's governing body.

The postponement of the final marks the latest example of the Israel and Palestine situation spilling into sport.

insidethegames has contacted FIFA for comment.