Football in the Holy Land

If you were expecting to watch a decent game of football (or soccer, for those of you from across the Pond) in the Holy Land, you might be disappointed. I’ve tried to catch a game or two over the years, and despite the media’s best efforts to get the nation excited, it’s been a lost cause. Israeli football just isn’t a match for the televised matches from Europe, mostly from England and Spain. As for the behaviour of fans and even police during games, it’s like looking at the old dark days of hooliganism in Europe back in the 1980′s…And as for the Israeli national team’s woes, let’s not go there…when they learn to defend and hold on to a lead I might just get interested in watching one of their games.

Yesterday however saw a new dawn for the Palestine national team. They were granted their first ever home match, in East Jerusalem. A friendly against neighbours Jordan grabbed international headlines, even bringing the boys from Sky News over…

The Palestinians first ever goal on home soil understandably brought the house down (the game ended 1-1)…

As with Paul McCartney’s recent visit to Tel Aviv, let’s hope that things like football can start bridging gaps. When the masses congregate and cheer their heroes, the power generated by human faith and love can be pretty inspirational. OK, I don’t think the world is quite ready for a Israel v Palestine World Cup play-off, but perhaps we’re moving in the right direction. Just perhaps.

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Tags: football, palestine, sport

Category: Life in Israel