Palestine rises to center stage at World Cup 2022

ALBAWABA - The plight of Palestinians under Israeli occupation is back in the limelight after receiving a spontaneous campaign at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, where the Palestinian flag is heavily waved by footballers and fans alike, and slogans shouting "free Palestine" and more. 

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The gestures are coupled with humiliating snubs of Israeli journalists, with whom many, including Arabs whose countries are at peace with Israel, refused to be interviewed, or even mingle with.

The frenzy underlined the intricacy of having peace and normal ties between the Israeli and Arab peoples, who have long seen the other as a loathed "enemy" and "occupier," despite their governments' quest to embrace Israel, if only for business purposes.

"The World Cup in Qatar is one of the few occasions where people from Arab countries were able to gather and express themselves politically," international correspondent Michael Safi said in a video clip he posted on TikTok following his departure from Qatar, where he covered the global soccer event.

"Fans and teams used the tournament to send a message that even though their governments now enjoy decent relations with Israel, that doesn't reflect what everyone in their countries think," he said. "For Arab governments, it's a sign that even though they're ready to push the Palestinian cause down their list of priorities, their people are not."

Riyad Mansour, the Palestine Ambassador to the United Nations, said the World Cup in Qatar "dealt a decisive blow to Israel's illusions."

"The winner of this World Cup is already known," he proclaimed in a social media post. "It is Palestine, with its flag carried by people from every corner of the Arab world and the rest of the globe, who are present in every match and in people's chants."

In Jordan, where many are descendants of families who fled or were driven out of their homes in Palestine in two Middle East wars which created Israel in 1948 and expanded its control over the rest of the Palestinian territories in 1967, the fervor has spread to engulf people who are seen glued to their television sets during World Cup broadcasts either at home, or in smoke-filled traditional coffee shops in the capital Amman, and elsewhere across the country.

"This is the first time that I see such a unanimous support for Palestine by Arabs and foreigners alike," said Amman banker Osama Shtewi, 29, sipping black spiced coffee at an Amman coffee shop.

"This is a good lesson to Arab governments, especially those who are desperately seeking normalization of ties with Israel whether in public or in-closet, that Arab people from all corners of the region are vehemently opposed to making peace with an occupier."

By the same token, Nina Romani, a 31-year-old architect, said Israelis "should now understand that although they have peace with Arab governments, Arab people do not welcome them and do not want them among us, unless they make peace with our Palestinian brethren and stop killing and maiming their children, demolishing Palestinian homes, and usurping more Palestinian lands in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip."

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In Qatar, Arabs refused to talk to Israeli journalists as soon as they identified themselves. Scores of social media posts showed Arabs, including many from Gulf Arab countries donning the traditional clothing of head-to-toe thobes and headdresses, telling the Israelis off when they identified their nationality. Some video clips on social media showed foreigners, including a group of British football fans, even shunning the Israelis, shouting to them "free Palestine," while refusing to be interviewed.

By Jamal Halaby