PRIDE OF PALESTINE
JANUARY 12-FEBRUARY 10 War-torn country kicks off in Asian Cup, but their FA chief admits: Political division between Gaza and the West Bank doesn’t exist in football. Tough to get the team out, but now we play for our people
IRAN and Palestine are currently embroiled in the ravages of war.
But today they will be competing on a football pitch as both go toe-to-toe in their opening Asian Cup match.
In the case of Palestine, it is something that they are lining up at all.
“It has been extremely difficult,” said Susan Shalabi (above), the vice-president of the Palestine FA.
“It was difficult to get the team together, it was impossible to get our Gazan players out of Gaza to join the squad. Only
Mahmoud Wadi managed to join the team because he was abroad when the war started.
“There are daily incursions by the Israeli army in the West Bank, forcing us to suspend all local football activity.
“We got the team out of Palestine and they’ve been away from their families since then.”
The ongoing conflict in Gaza puts football firmly into perspective.
But, in troubled times, Shalabi tells us that football is one of the few unifying forces in both Gaza and the West Bank.
“The political division between the West Bank and Gaza does not exist in football,” she said. “The Football
Association represents Palestinians in Palestine and the diaspora. We have yet to achieve this on the political level.”
Gaza – an area roughly the size of the Isle of Wight – has more than two million people within its borders.
Football provides one of the few outlets for children who call it home, as Shalabi explained in a recent interview with Fourfourtwo.
“Like kids everywhere, they just play wherever they can,” she said.
“Public green space is very limited, so you often find them playing in the streets of their neighbourhood – to the dismay of their parents who fear for their safety.”
The national team are currently 94 in the FIFA rankings and warmed up for today’s match against one of the powerhouses of Asian football with a draw against Saudi Arabia and a 1-0 defeat to Uzbekistan.
What the footballing future holds beyond this tournament remains unclear.
Shalabi says the headquarters of the Palestine FA has been struck by Israeli air strikes since the start of the conflict.
An infrastructure that was already creaking before the conflict now finds itself in an even more parlous state.
“Every football infrastructure in Gaza has been either destroyed or severely damaged,” added Salabi. “Al Yarmouk stadium was turned upside down by the Israeli tanks and bulldozers.
“At least two facilities in Jenin and Tulkarm (in the West Bank) have also been damaged. The PFA and POC (Palestine Olympic Committee) headquarters have been bombed as well.”
The conflict will not pause for 90 minutes today, but the occupants of Gaza and the West Bank will be united by the desire to see their team make a positive start to their Asian Cup campaign.
And Shalabi believes the underdogs could be everyone’s second favourite side in Qatar.
“I certainly hope so!” she said.