World Cup
צילום: רויטרס
Viva Italia
When 1982 World Cup champions dedicated their victory to my people, they won Palestinian hearts forever
At best, the claim that one should not mix sports and politics is a cliché. World Cup fever is burning amongst Arab Israelis, and it provides a singular lesson: Palestinian Arabs living in Israel are searching for an identity.
Arab towns and neighborhoods are aflutter with flags, but not Israel's. Without question, Italy is the clear favorite amongst my people. I've also got the green, white and red flying from my balcony.
Several weeks ago, Israel celebrated its Independence Day, which marks the "Nakba," or disaster, for my people, the Palestinian Arabs. Arab homes do not fly the Israeli flag, because we do not identify with that flag. We can assume, to say the least, that senior Israeli officials are not bothered by the fact that the Arab minority in Israel feels no connection to this country or its symbols.
Lest there be any doubt: Even if Israel were playing in the World Cup, most Palestinian Israelis would support their rivals. When Maccabi Tel Aviv plays in the European League, Israeli Arabs support their opponents, with a few bizarre exceptions.
Viva Italia
In 1982 I was a student in Italy. That summer, Israel began a military campaign to knock out the "Fatah-land" in southern Lebanon. I watched tensely as Israel and their Christian Phalangist allies laid siege to my people in Lebanon, and at the same time I watched the World Cup.
Italy won the cup that year, and I celebrated the victory with the Italians. Throughout the five years I studied there, I never felt like an outsider.
And then, in a dramatic and emotional move, the head of the Italian soccer federation dedicated the World Cup victory o the Palestinians as a mark of solidarity with their suffering. The Palestinian people will never forget the Italians for this.
Therefore, every four years, the same picture repeats itself: tens of thousands of my people rooting for the Italian team during the World Cup, hoping they can repeat the victory and bring home the trophy. Viva Italia.
Can't back the Arabs
There are two Arab teams in the World Cup, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, in addition to Iran. But I cannot bring myself to root for them.
Why not? Because Saudi Arabia to me is nothing more than an American stooge, carrying out instructions issued by Washington that hurt the interests of both the Arab nation and Islam. In addition, the country is run by a dictatorial monarchy.
As for Tunisia, I cannot support a country that hosts (and even invites) Israeli diplomats, despite their anti-Palestinian policies. And just last week, Tunisian authorities prevented the opposition from holding a demonstration against censorship in the country.
What about Iran?
And as a Palestinian Arab who demands the world internalize what is happening to my people as a result of the Israeli occupation cannot support Iran, I cannot bring myself to support Iran, a country whose president denies the Holocaust and causes me to feel sick to my stomach when ever he opens his mouth about Jews.
This year I have an additional reason to root for Italy: The first statement of new Prime Minister Romano Prodi, was that he would pull Italian troops out of Iraq. Let the Americans and the British wallow in the Iraqi mud.
Zohari Androus is the editor of the Israeli Arab newspaper Kul al-Arab
