Dr. Mahfoud Amara
The unfolding events in the Gaza Strip and Israel serve as a poignant reminder that peace remains elusive without justice.
Palestine’s sporting heritage predates the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Historian Issam Khalidi reveals that by 1948, Palestine boasted around 65 athletic clubs, with approximately 55 of them affiliated with the Arab Palestine Sports Federation (APSF), founded in 1931 and re-established in 1944. Unfortunately, the Nakba disrupted the development of Palestinian sports.
The strict rule of one national committee and one federation per nation-state imposed by the International Olympic Committee and International Sports Federation meant that the Palestinian sports movement in the occupied territory went unrecognized.
The only option available was to integrate the Israeli sport system or establish sports clubs in the diaspora, including countries like Jordan (e.g., Al-Wehdat Sport Club) and even as far as Chile (e.g., Club Deportivo Palestino). Palestine had to wait until after the Oslo Accords and the recognition of the Palestinian Authority to reintegrate the international sports community, gaining membership in the IOC in 1993 and FIFA in 1998.
Nonetheless, the commitments outlined in the Accords, particularly the pursuit of a two-state solution, have remained elusive and unattainable within the existing conditions that perpetuate Israel’s occupation, affecting various aspects, including the realm of sports.
The division of the Palestinian population across the West Bank, the Gaza Strip’s imposed siege since 2007, and the scattered Palestinian refugee communities posed significant challenges to organizing national leagues, training camps, and international games. In the past, Arab and Muslim countries implemented a boycott of Israeli athletes and teams, applying pressure on the international community, including the sports world, to recognize the Palestinian right to self-determination, akin to the international boycott of South Africa’s apartheid system. The international sports system adopted a stern stance against the boycott strategy, even banning some athletes for life.
However, it displayed less firmness when addressing Israeli authorities’ actions, such as the bombing of Gaza and the destruction of sports infrastructure, which hindered Palestinian athletes from exercising their rights and representing their nation internationally.
Some optimism has arisen through sports programs funded by various international governmental, non-governmental, and private foundations that bring together Arab Palestinians and Israeli children and youth, allowing them to bond over sports. The qualification in 2004 of the Arab-Israeli Bnei Sakhnin football club to participate in European competition was hailed by many as a symbol of harmonious Arab and Jewish coexistence in Israel.
Nevertheless, the persistence of occupation, the expansion of illegal settlements, and ongoing conflicts make the idea of sports as a means for conflict resolution and development seem like a distant dream. Realizing this vision will require active involvement from international sports organizations and the global community, aligned with the application of UN resolutions to bring an end to the conflict, in a manner consistent with their approach to other international conflicts.
Dr. Mahfoud Amara is an Associate Professor in Sport Social Sciences and Management at Qatar University
Dr. Mahfoud Amara is an Associate Professor in Sport Social Sciences and Management at Qatar University.
