- Title: Palestinians cancel soccer final after Israel denies Gaza team travel
- Date: 25th September 2019
- Summary: RAFAH, GAZA (SEPTEMBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) LOCK / FOOTBALLERS AT KHADAMAT RAFAH CLUB SEEN IN BACKGROUND FOOTBALLERS OF GAZA'S KHADAMAT RAFAH CLUB WARMING UP VARIOUS OF COACH TRAINING FOOTBALLERS VARIOUS OF TRAINING IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GOAL KEEPER AT GAZA'S KHADAMAT RAFAH CLUB, AHMAD ABU THUHAIR, SAYING: "The news was shocking to the club and to the players. We were surprised because it is an organised championship. It's a terrible feeling after training so hard, during Ramadan too. It has been a long season, the team's moral is down." VARIOUS OF TRAINING PLAYERS SITTING PLAYER TYING HIS CLEATS VARIOUS OF PLAYERS DURING TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF GAZA'S KHADAMAT RAFAH CLUB, JAMAL HARB, SAYING: "As the head of the club, as the general manager, myself and the board are disappointed but the players are even more disappointed because their biggest reward is to be able to win a championship, or to have the chance to represent their country either in Arab or Asian championships." EXTERIOR OF PLAYGROUND TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (SEPTEMBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GISHA LEGAL CENTRE FOR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, TANIA HARY, IN OFFICE HARY TYPING ON KEYBOARD SIGN READING (English/Arabic): "GAZA - 70 km" (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GISHA LEGAL CENTRE FOR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, TANIA HARY, SAYING: "The game will be blocked, the game will not be played this Wednesday and I think it is a real shame. Young people in Gaza are looking for reasons to have hope. They are looking for reasons to feel more positive about their situation. Seeing a young team, football players be blocked just from playing a game I think sends the wrong message." AL-RAM, WEST BANK (SEPTEMBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PALESTINIAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION BUILDING HEAD OF PALESTINIANS' FIFA MEMBER ASSOCIATION, JIBRIL RAJOUB, IN OFFICE FOOTBALL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF PALESTINIANS' FIFA MEMBER ASSOCIATION, JIBRIL RAJOUB, SAYING: "(The occupation) continues to ignore FIFA's international decisions, its laws and agreements, to paralyse the Palestinian players and even paralyse the (Palestinian) sport system in general." NABLUS, WEST BANK (SEPTEMBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) PLAYERS OF NABLUS' FC BALATA TEAM DURING TRAINING VARIOUS OF COACH TRAINING GOAL KEEPERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GOAL KEEPER AT NABLUS'S FC BALATA TEAM, SAED ABU SALIM, SAYING: "It is a clear obstruction to the Palestinian sport (system) and a clear obstruction to an event that would have brought the two parts of our country together. This is the policy of the occupation. I used to play in the Palestinian national team, and even those players face obstacles in movement, with difficulties travelling." VARIOUS OF PLAYERS WARMING UP AND TRAINING
- Embargoed: 9th October 2019 15:04
- Keywords: Palestinians Israelis Palestinian soccer players Palestinian national soccer clubs Gaza Rafah
- Location: RAFAH, GAZA / TEL AVIV, ISRAEL / NABLUS AND AL-RAM, WEST BANK
- City: RAFAH, GAZA / TEL AVIV, ISRAEL / NABLUS AND AL-RAM, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001AY5P651
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Palestinian national soccer club championship was called off on Wednesday (September 25) after Israel denied travel permits to Gaza players who had hoped to face off with their opponents in the occupied West Bank.
Israel refused to let players from Gaza's Khadamat Rafah club travel several dozen kilometres through its territory to play Nablus's FC Balata in the central West Bank.
Israeli officials have not given a public explanation of the reasons. Some media reports have quoted Israeli security sources saying team members were believed to have links to terrorism.
Only 12 of the Gaza club's 35 members were granted permits, just five of whom were players, the team said.
Wednesday's FIFA-recognised Palestine Cup in the West Bank city of Nablus had already been postponed from July, when 31 of the Gaza club's 35 players were denied permits, the team said.
The winner of Wednesday's game between the Gaza and West Bank Cup holders would have represented Palestinians in the Asian Champions League, a qualifier for the FIFA Club World Cup.
"It's a terrible feeling after training so hard," said Ahmad Abu Thuhair, a Gaza footballer whose application was rejected.
An Israeli court on Monday upheld a decision from COGAT, Israel's military liaison to the Palestinians, to deny the Gaza players permits.
"Each permit application received by COGAT is individually and thoroughly evaluated, pursuant to the criteria that are published on COGAT's website and subject to security checks," COGAT said in an email, without providing further details.
It referred additional questions to the Shin Bet Israeli domestic intelligence service, which did not respond to a request for comment.
Israel captured Gaza and the West Bank in 1967. It withdrew its settlers and troops from Gaza in 2005, and the enclave is now run by the Islamist armed group Hamas, which Israel and the West designate a terrorist organization. Citing security concerns, Israel maintains tight control over Gaza's land and sea borders.
Hamas and Israel have fought three wars over the past decade, and several other heavy rounds of violence have broken out. The two million Palestinians in the narrow coastal enclave must request permits from Israel to travel to the West Bank.
Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinians' FIFA member association, accused Israel of trying "to paralyse Palestinian players and even the (Palestinian) sport system in general."
Gisha, an Israeli rights group which petitioned the Jerusalem District Court to challenge COGAT's decision, said the case illustrates what it called Israel's "separation policy," which it says "violates Palestinians' right to freedom of movement."
Gisha and other rights groups say the restrictions drive a wedge between Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Palestinians seek to unite in a state.
(Production: Bassam Masoud, Ismael Khader, Ashraf Abu Shawish, Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None