For them, it’s about more than football: the Palestinian players want to bring joy to their war-torn compatriots at the Asian Cup. And demonstrate national identity.
The Palestinian footballers stand arm in arm on the pitch. They all wear a black and white keffiyeh, the so-called “Palestinian scarf,” around their necks. Her look is pained. Some lower their heads to the ground, others to the sky. Scenes like those in the preparatory game against Uzbekistan are likely to occur at the Asian Cup from January 12th to February 10th in Qatar.
Strong pro-Palestinian displays of solidarity are expected in the stands. On the pitch, the Palestinian national team is on a highly emotional mission during the Gaza War.
It was “a source of pride, not just for me, but for all Palestinians,” said attacker Oday Dabbagh about the third participation in the continental championship. But this is in a very special light given the violent counterattack by the Israeli army in response to the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas on October 7th. Players like Jerusalem-born Dabbagh, who is considered his team’s best footballer, have their hearts and minds in their war-torn homeland.
Constant fear
“The players are in the hotel or on the bus most of the time, following the news on their cell phones and communicating with their families,” revealed selection coach Makram Daboub. The Tunisian reiterated that the events at home with thousands of deaths were keeping the players busy: “They are in constant fear of the ongoing aggression and war in Palestine.”
The situation is difficult, said goalkeeper Rami Hamada after arriving in Qatar. They want to bring joy to the people back home – “even if it’s just a very simple one.” He thanked Qataris for their friendly welcome and support. The 2022 World Cup host sees himself in the political role of mediator in the conflict. However, it was initially uncertain what exactly the organizers would allow in terms of pro-Palestinian expressions of solidarity.
Express national identity
One thing is clear: the Palestinian team’s group games against Iran (January 14th), whose regime denies Israel’s right to exist, the United Arab Emirates (January 18th) and Hong Kong (January 23rd) are not just about goals and points. “We can express our national identity through football,” Susan Shalabi, vice president of the Palestinian Football Association PFA, told Deutschlandfunk.
Many players have family and friends in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, where football has not been played since the outbreak of war. “We wanted to get the family out of one of them. We succeeded with the little daughter, but his wife is still in Gaza. The pressure on the player is enormous,” said Shalabi.
Many footballers killed
Three potential squad players did not make it out of the Gaza Strip in time, PFA reported. The association made serious allegations against Israel and demanded “urgent action” from the International Olympic Committee, the world football association FIFA and the Asian continental association AFC. According to Shabali, more than 80 footballers were killed in the Gaza Strip, “I assume that the number of unreported cases is significantly higher.”
According to the PFA, Israel has also destroyed nine sports facilities and the Yarmouk Stadium, one of the largest landmarks of Palestinian sport, is also being misused by the Israeli military. “This is a crime and international sports federations cannot tolerate, conceal or ignore this,” PFA said in a statement.
Overshadowed by the events of the war, the preparation of the Palestinian national team, which was recognized by FIFA in 1998, took place in Algeria and Saudi Arabia. The team is currently in 99th place in the FIFA world rankings. Normally, the Games would be watched closely at home by Palestine, which is not recognized as a state by some United Nations countries. Football is a part of Palestinian culture. But the few bars and restaurants that still exist no longer play games on large screens.
Squad lists of participants Information about the Palestinian team Facebook page of the Palestinian Football Association PFA Report at Dohanews Deutschlandfunk report FIFA world rankings
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
