{"id":9877,"date":"2015-03-20T18:50:21","date_gmt":"2015-03-20T10:50:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinaworker.info\/?p=9877"},"modified":"2015-03-21T00:05:34","modified_gmt":"2015-03-20T16:05:34","slug":"following-the-palestinian-national-football-team-more-than-a-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinaworker.info\/en\/2015\/03\/20\/9877\/","title":{"rendered":"Following the Palestinian national football team \u2013 \u201cmore than a game\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Palestine\u2019s team does not even have a national stadium \u2013 It\u2019s twice been reduced to rubble by the Israeli army<\/strong><\/p>\n

J M Roy, Socialist Action (CWI Hong Kong)<\/p>\n

Following the Palestine National Football Team around the country in a major tournament might not be everybody\u2019s idea of a dream holiday, but it was for me. And the moment Ashraf Numan\u2019s 25 yard free kick against the Philippines hit the back of net to win the Challenge Cup final and the last slot in the Australian AFC 2015 tournament, I was already booking my flights.<\/p>\n

I arrived in Newcastle the day before the first match. A huge event for a small coal mining town 150 miles north of Sydney. Palestine were playing AFC cup holders and favourites, Japan.<\/p>\n

The moment that the Palestinian people had been waiting for, no doubt watched on TVs all over the West bank, Gaza, refugee camps across the Middle East and among the Palestinian Diaspora everywhere. Ramzi Saleh, the veteran goalkeeper and captain, lead the Palestinian team out, their flag was unfurled and the 15,000 strong crowd stood to hear the national anthem played. It may not sound like much, but it may cause a case of Doublethink to those who refuse to recognize Palestine\u2019s existence.<\/p>\n

Most small nations face an uphill struggle to qualify for a major tournament. For Palestine, the phrase \u2018more than a game\u2019 is no idle cliche<\/p>\n

The team does not even have a national stadium which they can use. It\u2019s been reduced to rubble by the Israeli army. Twice. Players are routinely targeted by the occupation. Arrested, denied travel permits, homes bulldozed and occasionally killed outright. Next time you\u2019re feeling sorry for your star striker who\u2019s fractured his 5th metatarsal, be thankful he wasn\u2019t shot 10 times in the feet like Jahwar Nasser was, by Israeli soldiers when he was returning home from training.<\/p>\n

First match result? 4-0 to Japan. But if you think that stopped the fans singing, you haven\u2019t been paying attention.<\/p>\n

Next stop was Melbourne where there was a huge welcome planned for the team, but I was ahead of them-I managed to get a ticket on the same plane. Standing at Newcastle airport waiting for them to arrive and a car pulls up with the Palestinian team officials, including The President of the Palestinian Football Federation, Major General Jibril Rajoub.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, from Hong Kong\u201d he says \u201cWe heard you were coming. Good, this is good. We take care of you\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a serious looking guy, but then I guess 17 years in Israeli prisons will wipe the smile of anyone\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\"Football<\/a><\/p>\n

Dead Sea derby<\/strong><\/p>\n

The players come in and they\u2019re posing with everyone for photos and chatting to the public before we all board the plane. No team should be without an official travelling flautist and there\u2019s a party atmosphere on the flight. Players and fans alike are clapping, autographs are being signed and the team receives a cheer as the captain announces their presence. At arrivals, it\u2019s pandemonium.<\/p>\n

Hundreds have skipped work to turn out. Keffiyehs and flags are everywhere. The players barely make it to the team bus as they are mobbed by their fans. They\u2019re not just footballers here, they are ambassadors showing the world that they exist. It\u2019s going to be quite a few days. Events are being organized, radio shows, press conferences. Palestine has arrived and Melbourne is going to hear about it<\/p>\n

Melbourne is hosting their second match. The one we\u2019ve all been waiting for. A must win match for both teams. It\u2019s the Old Firm, It\u2019s El Clasico. Welcome to the inferno that is-The Dead Sea Derby.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Palestine V Jordan.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s press conference day in Melbourne for Palestine. Three players and Mr. Rajoub are in fine form with the media<\/p>\n

Ramzy \u2018We will overcome any obstacles imposed on us by the Israeli occupation\u201d<\/p>\n

Abdulhamid \u201cWe raised our flag and sang our national anthem in a country that does not even recognize that we exist\u201d<\/p>\n

Jibril \u201cOur difficulties are down to the racist Israeli policies. They blocked three players from coming, these racists\u201d<\/p>\n

The day of the match. A small olive tree planting ceremony organized by a local artist takes place near the stadium, fans queue up for face painting, huge flags are unfurled, we enter the stadium and our end is packed. There are Palestinian fans here from all over; from Chile, from China, fans from Scotland and Ireland.<\/p>\n

In the 85th minute Palestine score! Jaka Hbaish with a first time volley. History is made, the Palestine end erupts! Palestine\u2019s first ever goal in a major tournament.<\/p>\n

Final result?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Palestine 1 Jordan 5. But again, don\u2019t miss the point.
\nFinal city and I\u2019m off to the beautiful, yet bizarre capital of Canberra.<\/p>\n

First match is another local derby. It\u2019s the clash of the communist old guard. The 38th parallel war reunion.<\/p>\n

Its China- North Korea.<\/p>\n

China storm into a 2-0 first half lead. But in the second half the DPRK are all over them. Cheered on by the ever loyal Ultras, Cholima come out with all guns blazing and pull one back in the 70th minute. So Hyon Uk hits the bar with a 40 yard rocket in the 80th minute.<\/p>\n

The fans are going hoarse with singing<\/p>\n

\u201cDP, DPR, DPR KO-RE-A!\u201d rings out as China again scramble the ball away. The Koreans try everything but finally go down 2-1. Again, the players salute us, the manager comes over to shake hands and the boys can head back to Pyongyang with their heads held high.<\/p>\n

Last match of the tournament for Palestine. And it\u2019s against another team who are no strangers to occupation, death and destruction. It\u2019s the clash of the oldest civilizations-It\u2019s Palestine v Iraq.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a much changed squad for the final match. Saleh is rested and Tawfiq is given a start. Young, 6\u20195\u201d, he\u2019s ready to step into Saleh\u2019s boots.<\/p>\n

Palestine are much better organized and they\u2019re playing for pride this time.<\/p>\n

At half time, they\u2019re holding the Iraqis 0-0. Unfortunately, they lose concentration in the second half and go 2-0 behind. Tawfiq pulls off an incredible penalty save and the final whistle blows.<\/p>\n

The players come over and throw their shirts into the crowd. They\u2019ve lost every match, but there are no sad faces in the crowd. They\u2019ve said something to the world.<\/p>\n

If there is one thing that everyone can understand, its football. How can the world say Palestine doesn\u2019t exist when we\u2019ve just seen them play in a major football tournament? Does Brazil not exist? Does Germany not exist?<\/p>\n

And yes, North Korea might be a repressive regime, but its people are just people. Its footballers are 11 young guys who just want to lace their boots and kick a ball, like billions of other people around the world.<\/p>\n

To Palestine-\u201cNext year in East Jerusalem!\u201d and the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Thanks for the memories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Palestine\u2019s team does not even have a national stadium \u2013 It\u2019s twice been reduced to rubble by the Israeli army J M Roy, Socialist Action (CWI Hong Kong) Following the Palestine National Football Team around the country in a major tournament might not be everybody\u2019s idea of a dream holiday, but it was for me. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":9861,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[148,124],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9877","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-international","8":"category-news"},"yoast_head":"\nFollowing the Palestinian national football team \u2013 \u201cmore than a game\u201d - China Worker<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/chinaworker.info\/en\/2015\/03\/20\/9877\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Following the Palestinian national football team \u2013 \u201cmore than a game\u201d - China Worker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Palestine\u2019s team does not even have a national stadium \u2013 It\u2019s twice been reduced to rubble by the Israeli army J M Roy, Socialist Action (CWI Hong Kong) Following the Palestine National Football Team around the country in a major tournament might not be everybody\u2019s idea of a dream holiday, but it was for me. 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