Israel lawmaker echos Saudi-led bloc's demands for FIFA to cancel Qatar 2022 World Cup

An Israeli lawmaker has joined a Saudi-led boycott campaign against Qatar, and called on FIFA - football's governing body - to cancel the 2022 World Cup in Doha.

Nava Boker, a lawmaker from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, made the appeal in an open letter addressed to FIFA, Israeli newspaper Maariv reported on Monday.

"Qatar is known for its growing support for the terrorist organisations Hamas and Hizballah," Boker alleged, according to a translation by The New Arab's Arabic-language service.

"Qatar has also financed and is still financing the terrorist state of Iran… and is grossly violating the human rights of millions of undocumented migrant workers under its rule."

She called on FIFA to transfer the hosting of the tournament to another country "without terrorism and human suffering on its hands".

The move is the latest incitement against Doha hosting the World Cup, amid the year-old Gulf political crisis.

Many of Qatar's neighbours have cut off all ties with Doha, accusing it of backing terrorism and being too close to Iran - charges it vehemently denies.

Israeli officials have expressed support for the blockade and banned Doha-based broadcaster Al Jazeera.

The anti-Qatar bloc - Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain - have come out more openly as allies of Israel, who they have found a common cause against mutual foe Iran.

Qatar has strongly criticised attempts by the Saudi-led bloc to have the 2022 World Cup cancelled, which they say is based on political differences.

Doha has also responded to criticism of the treatment of construction workers involved in infrastructure projects by introducing a $200 per month minimum wage for workers.

They have committed themselves to other labour reforms including allowing workers to leave Qatar and change jobs without their employer's permission.

FIFA has announced that the 2022 World Cup will be held in the winter months, so as to avoid blistering summer temperatures in the desert nation.