The Palestinians perceive the World Cup as a victory over Israel although they did not compete

Overview

• Khaled Abu Zuhri, a Gazan sports commentator, wrote an article about the World Cup in Doha boasting that “Palestine” had won without having sent either a team or a single player to Qatar or playing a single game. The article reflected the Palestinians’ perception that their cause was prominent both on and off the soccer fields: Mahmoud Abbas received a seat of honor at the opening ceremony and at almost every game Palestinian flags were waved and there were giant banners calling to “Free Palestine,” giving prominence to the Palestinian narrative.
• In Palestinian perception, the events “proved” extensive global support for the Palestinians and the Palestinian cause and gave witness to Israel’s “isolation” and the failure of Israel’s efforts, despite the Abraham Accords, to normalize relations with the Arab countries. Some Palestinians even claimed the support was a watershed moment which had to be pursued politically and in the media, and in fact posed new threats and dangers for Israel from the Arab-Muslim world.
• In addition to the presence of flags, Palestinian media gleefully reported what they called the “outbursts of hatred and humiliation” suffered by Israeli media personnel in Qatar, showing videos of Israeli correspondents helplessly facing aggressive soccer fans from Arab countries.
• The Palestinians and Qataris have carried out extensive Palestinian propaganda activity during the games. Vendors are encouraged to bring Palestinian flags and souvenirs to the games for sale, Palestinian flags are waved and the crowds chant Palestinians slogans. Some expressions of support were less than spontaneous and under the aegis of the Qatari government, for example, in Doha a tall building was lit up with a Palestinian flag alongside a sign reading “Gaza is in our hearts.”
• Putting the Palestinian cause and narrative on the World Cup agenda was planned well in advance. Several days before the tournament began campaigns were launched on the Palestinian social networks, led by Palestinian activists who formulated strategy to increase international awareness for the Palestinian cause at the games, where fans from dozens of countries would meet. The overall campaign included hashtags and fund-raising. Fans were asked to wear scarves, bracelets and ribbons with the Palestinian colors and to wrap themselves in PLO flags. Fans were called on to chant “Palestine!” in the stands, in the streets near the stadiums and when the teams ran onto the playing field.
• The success of the campaign in Qatar to raise awareness for the Palestinian cause is liable to encourage the Palestinians to organize similar campaigns at future sporting events (although some Palestinians voiced concern the images broadcast around the world would make no difference because in the future the United States and Israel would make efforts to prevent such campaigns). The extent of Palestinian Authority (PA) involvement in the campaign is unknown, but apparently the extensive media footprint and support the Palestinians received will help the PA in its international moves against Israel.

The Palestinians and the World Cup

The Palestinian campaign before the games began

• In preparation for the World Cup, activists on the Palestinian social media launched campaigns to put the Palestinian cause on the international agenda during the events, where soccer fans from dozens of countries would meet in Doha. The campaigns called for the Arab public and fans attending the games to “cheer for Palestine” in the stands, the streets around the stadiums and whenever the teams ran out onto the playing field. Announcements were posted to the websites with the heading, “How can you support Palestine at the World Cup?” Suggestions included wearing scarves, bracelets and ribbons with the Palestinian colors and wrapping oneself in a large PLO flag.
• #Palestine_World_Cup suggested five ways to put the Palestinian cause on the public agenda (al-Khalij al-Jadeed, November 4, 2022):
  • The bands for the captains of the Arab teams would have the colors of the Palestinian flag.
  • Waving Palestinian flags in the stands, outside the stadiums and in the streets, hanging them on cars and houses, and chanting encouragement.
  • Appointing people called “ambassadors of Palestine” to move among the fans throughout the days of the games to talk to them about the Palestinian cause.
  • Calling on the sports commentators, radio and TV presenters, and Internet influencers on TV and in the social media to relate to the Palestinian cause during broadcasts.
  • Using hashtags to interact, especially with the Palestine World Cup hashtag, to promote the issue.
• Another campaign, called the “Palestinian Dream,” was launched on November 10, 2022, with the hashtag #Palestinian_Dream_Why_Not!?. It was a popular campaign which called on people to wave the Palestinian flag, call encouragement for “Palestine” from the stands, in public squares and other places where team fans congregated. It also called for fans to follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, to post sports- and World Cup-related support for “Palestine” at #Palestinian_Dream (Palestine Online, November 10, 2022).

Support and solidarity with “Palestine” at the World Cup

•  During the tournament in Doha there has been significant support for the Palestinian cause, including establishment support. For example, a few days before the games began, a tall building was lit up with a Palestinian flag and a sign reading “Gaza is in our hearts” (Sama, November 17, 2022).

• During the games Palestinian flags and flysheets were distributed outside the stadiums. Many fans in the stands waved large Palestinian flags and held banners. The Croatian prime minister was also seen holding a Palestinian flag, and when Morocco beat Spain, the Moroccan team had its picture taken with a Palestinian flag.

     
Right: A member of the Moroccan team with a Palestinian flag (@MyPalestine0 Twitter account, December 1, 2022). Left: A YouTuber calling himself Kamstaka (Abd al-Azi al-Tamimi) hands out Palestinian flags on the street in Doha (Rada Yassin’s Twitter account, November 16, 2022).

     
Fans wave Palestinian flags during the Morocco-Canada game
(Masdar News Twitter account, December 1, 2022).

   
Right: The Moroccan soccer team has its picture taken with the Palestinian flag after beating Spain (Twitter account of photojournalist Hassan Aslih, December 6, 2022). Left: Palestinian cartoon of Palestinian-Moroccan brotherhood, Israel shunted to the side, Israeli-Moroccan diplomatic relations notwithstanding (Alaa’ al-Laqta’s Facebook page, December 6, 2022).

     
Right: A Free Palestine banner during the Qatar-Holland game. Left: A Qatari soccer fan waves a Palestinian flag during the game (Arabi21 Facebook page, November 29, 2022).

    
Right: Fans wave Palestinian flags before the Morocco-Croatia game (Safa, November 23, 2022). Left: Brazilian fans wave Palestinian flags before the Brazil-Serbia game (Twitter account of Sara Najem, November 28, 2022).

Giving prominence to hatred for Israel

• In addition to the success of the campaign, the Palestinian media gleefully gave extensive coverage to the hatred shown to the Israeli correspondents reporting the games. They published videos and articles, most of them republished from the Israeli media, about Israeli correspondents having to cope with aggression from fans from the Arab-Muslim world. They refused to be interviewed, made noise to interrupt broadcasts, denied the existence of the State of Israel and stressed the existence of “Palestine.” Israeli correspondents were quoted as experiencing hatred and saying they feared for their lives. The Palestinian media claimed such expressions of hatred “proved” the extent of support for the Palestinian cause and the disintegration of normalization [of relations] with Israel.

  
Right: The humiliation of the Israeli correspondents (al-Quds al-Arabi, December 6, 2022). Left: The Palestinian victory over Israel [sic] (Shehab, November 30, 2022)

• Hani al-Aqad, a Gazan political commentator, wrote that the Israeli media believed it would penetrate Arab society and report news of acceptance and friendliness for Israelis as a result of the normalization agreements Netanyahu signed with four Arab states. However, in effect the result was the opposite, because the Israeli correspondents were rejected and reviled, and Palestinian flags were waved in front of their cameras. He claimed normalization had been shattered at the World Cup and all that was left was the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu’s gamble, that the accords would improve Israel’s image for Arabs, had failed (al-Quds, November 28, 2022).

   
How the Israeli media was received in Qatar (Right: @MyPalestine0 Twitter account, November 22, 2022. Left: Ahmed Rahma, Swalif website, November 25, 2022).

Reactions to the Palestinian “victory”

• The Palestinians perceive the attention given to the Palestinian cause in Doha during the World Cup games as a success story for their narrative, because despite the Abraham Accords it is still on the public agenda.
• On December 2, 2022, Mahmoud al-Habash, Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor for religious affairs, gave the Friday sermon at a mosque in Ramallah, broadcast by the PA’s TV channel. He said “Palestine” was present in every corner of the world. As an example he gave the events at the World Cup, where the Palestinian flag could be seen everywhere, the name “Palestine” was very often present and the most frequently seen symbol was of “Palestine.” He said the situation was such that a correspondent from Brazil stated that there were not 32 teams competing but rather 33 because “Palestine” was present at every game, everywhere (Palestinian TV, December 2 2022).
• Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua praised the extensive solidarity with the Palestinian cause at the games, claiming that the presence of “Palestine” at the heart of the World Cup “proved” it was the most important issue for the [Muslim] nation and was in the hearts of millions of free people the world over, “proof” of the isolation of Israel (“the occupying entity”). He said he saluted the masses of Arabs and Muslims and all free people who expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause and opposition to the “Zionist occupation” and its acceptance in the Middle East (Hamas website, November 27, 2022).
• Khaled Abu Zuhri, a Gazan sports commentator, claimed “Palestine” had won the World Cup without playing a single game and without one single Palestinian soccer player present in Qatar. “Palestine,” he claimed, had won the hearts of thousands of Arabs, Muslims and friends by virtue of the persistence of its presence in Qatar and among those present by virtue of the number of its flags among the flags of the competing countries. “Palestine,” he claimed, won the World Cup in 2022 by virtue of the hands of the people of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Morocco who waved its flag in the stands and on the fields of Qatar, and all the Arabs who came to Qatar were their partners in waving the Palestinian flag. He also claimed it was not only Arabs who waved the flag, shouted “Palestine” and interacted with its national songs, but also people from Muslim and foreign countries because they believed in it, and they proved their faith by what they said and did in the stadiums and on the playing fields. He claimed the World Cup had achieved more than what the whole world had previously achieved in solidarity with “Palestine,” its cause and people. What was special for him, he claimed, was that the support had been given in an Arab-Muslim country and that was why “Palestine” had won the World Cup, even before the final game (Palestine Online, November 30, 2022). On another occasion, he wrote the Arabs had amazed the Palestinians during the World Cup, proving to them they were not alone. The Palestinians felt secure in a way they had never felt before. However, he said he was concerned that the sights would not be seen again at the next World Cup because the United States and Israel would prevent them (Palestine Online, December 5, 2022).
• Ahmed Abu Zuhri, a Gazan political commentator, wrote that the World Cup had revealed the status of “Palestine” in the hearts and minds of the Arab-Muslim masses and of many other people around the world, and had exposed the degree to which Israel was isolated and hated. He claimed Israel’s attempts to integrate into the Arab world had failed, which meant that the normalization project, in which a great deal of effort and money was invested, had shattered on “the wall of the [Arab] nation’s perception” and broken on the rock of the love of the masses for “Palestine.” The Arabs and Muslims, along with the rest of the world, had scored goals against Israel and made a number of unprecedented achievements for “Palestine.” The Palestinians’ achievements were the following (Shehab, December 3, 2022):
  • The status of “Palestine” was raised and its presence was reinforced, with the result that it became a very important topic for activity and in various aspects of the World Cup.
  • Its presence dealt a strong blow to normalization and to anyone following the path of normalization, and dashed the hopes and dreams of Israel for the possibility of “brainwashing people, blurring their perceptions, distorting facts and neutralizing the Palestinian cause, forcing it to the sidelines of the interests of the Arab-Muslim masses.”
  • They showed Israel it was ostracized, an invader in the Middle East and unwanted, they forced Israel to be present in disguise, and destroyed its chances of exploiting the World Cup in any way.
  • The Palestinians laid the foundations for new avenues of support for their cause.
• Majed al-Zebda, a Gazan political commentator, wrote that they had the right to call it “Palestine’s World Cup” because of the large number of Palestinian flags waved during the games, the exposure of Israel’s true face [sic] and its condemnation by the Arabs, who made it clear they did not recognize the existence of an entity by the name of “Israel” in the Middle East. He claimed the Israeli media correspondents roamed around the streets of Doha day after day, pointlessly looking for an Arab who would agree to be interviewed. That, he claimed, was a clear indication of the failure of normalization, and that the Arab regimes which had normalized relations with the “occupation” did not represent the people in any way. The World Cup was an example of Israel’s illusion regarding the success of normalization (Palestine Online, December 6, 2022).
• Ibrahim al-Qara, a Gazan political commentator and former general manager of Hamas’ daily Felesteen, wrote that the strongest and most prominent participant in the World Cup was the Palestinian cause, which was present at every game. He said it was their duty as Palestinians to be proud of witnessing the support the Palestinian cause received when the World Cup exposed beyond any shadow of a doubt that world awareness of the Palestinian cause was present and strong, and had to be officially invested in. It also exposed, he claimed, the superficiality of those who normalized relations with Israel or maintained security coordination with it, and isolated them. It could be seen in the boycotting of Israel and the almost complete absence of an Israeli audience at the World Cup (Palestine Online, December 3, 2022).
• Bakr Abu Bakr, a Fatah-affiliated author, welcomed the fact that the World Cup managed to return the Palestinian cause to the spotlight after it had almost vanished or been forgotten because of the Palestinian political freeze, the Abraham Accords and the world’s focus on the war in Ukraine. He claimed “Palestine became the 33^rd team, won all the games and proved it was still in the hears of all Muslims, Christians [sic] and Arabs, and of free men all over the world” (al-Quds, December 3, 2022).

    
Right: The World Cup strangles normalization with Israel (Shehab, November 27, 2022). Left: Cartoon by Muhammad Sabaana, whose cartoons are usually published in the PA’s al-Hayat al-Jadeeda. The winning goal strikes the wall of normalization (Muhammad Sabaana’s Twitter account, December 3, 2022).

   
The centrality of the Palestinian cause at the World Cup. Right: “Palestine in the heart of the World Cup” (Twitter account of cartoonist Mahmoud Abbas, November 25, 2022). Left: Cartoon by Muhammad Sabaana: “Palestine [takes the] World Cup” (al-Quds al-Arabi, December 2, 2022).

Related Articles