On the 26th October 2008 many in the Western media reported a historic moment in Palestine’s history. Palestine has been occupied for over 60 years and has one of the most turbulent histories of any nation in the world. The world’s powers as well as the Muslim rulers continue to turn a blind eye towards the plight of the Muslims there.
With such a history it may be surprising by some how the Palestinian national football team, playing its first international match on home soil, in a newly built stadium in the West Bank against Jordan, can be considered a historic moment. The game was attended by FIFA President Sepp Blatter and other dignitaries from across the Arab world due to its epic nature.
Palestinian fans filled the new stadium hours before the start of the match. Huge crowds outside the ground were in rapture at the scoring of the first Palestinian goal on home soil by Ahmed Kashkash from the Gaza Strip. The game finished 1-1.
Until now, the team has been forced to play home fixtures in Jordan or Qatar as Israel has denied many players from the Gaza Strip permission to travel. On this occasion however, all Gaza-based players were allowed to take part in the historic fixture.
The reality is that Palestine, no matter how much football is played, its vital issue remains that it is occupied by Israel. Israel controls access to the West Bank and movement within it. The Palestinian Coach lzzat Hamzah confirmed that, “We have many players outside Palestine – they cannot be allowed to come here because of the occupation,” He also said, “that players coming from various parts of the West Bank had been held up at checkpoints.”
No nation can celebrate anything when it is occupied. Whilst the match was being played in the West bank Israeli tanks were roaming the streets of both the Gaza strip and the West Bank. How can a nation celebrate a football game when it has no independence? This football match is a distraction from the real issue of removing occupation. The question that needs to be asked is why such a match managed to attract such media attention?
It attracted attention because all the regional powers are occupied with other priorities and are in seemingly weak positions. This has left the Muslims of Palestine languishing in a state of chaos. Israel currently is in the middle of instability as its scandal prone Prime Minister Ehud Olrnert stepped down in disgrace to be replaced by Tzipi Livni who has been unable to keep together the fragile coalition. She has now been forced to call an election which she will very likely lose. The US is only days away from national elections and has for some time been unable to push the peace process in its desired direction. Due to this, US policy makers have left the peace process in the hands of the new government.
Palestine is kept occupied with useless events as it is slaughtered under occupation. Only the mobilisation of the Muslim world for the establishment of Khilafah not football, is what will end occupation.