Football in Palestine .. Tunisia opens doors blocked by the Israeli occupation

Raed Moussa-Gaza

The decision of the Tunisian Football Federation to consider the Palestinian player as a local player opened the door for more Palestinian players to experience the experience of external professionalism, and received the decision with a wide Palestinian welcome, with hopes that this will be reflected at the level of players and the team.

Tunisia became the second Arab country after Egypt, which encourages its clubs to sign Palestinian players as local players.

Saber Hajjaj, a retired Palestinian player and football manager at the Rafah Services Club, said the Tunisian decision would encourage Palestinian players to develop their abilities to realize their dreams of professionalism in the Tunisian league, which is more competitive than the local Palestinian league.

Hajjaj told Al-Jazeera Net that professionalism requires high specifications of the Palestinian player, who differs from other players around the world, because of the specificity of the Palestinian situation, and policies of the occupation impeding the development of Palestinian sport in general, and football in particular.

He explained that the Palestinian players are characterized by strength, solidity and skill, but the obstacles of the occupation deprive them of highlighting their capabilities outside the borders of Palestine, because of the siege and closure of crossings, and deprived them of freedom of movement.

Hajjaj considered that access to Tunisia for the Palestinian player in Gaza easier than access to the occupied West Bank, citing the prevention of the occupation forces Rafah services from going to the West Bank, through the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, which is under Israeli control to play the second leg of the Palestine Cup in front of the Center Tile Bank Champion Cup.

A few days ago, an Israeli court approved the decision of the Israeli occupation government to refuse the passage of 23 members of the team and the technical and administrative staff, out of 35, on the pretext that they pose a security risk, causing the failure to hold the second leg of the Palestine Cup scheduled for 25 September. Last September.

"Sport is a message of love and peace," he said. "Israel knows only war and destruction. In light of what we are subjected to as Palestinian athletes by the aggressive occupation policies, we urgently need such a decision by the Tunisian Federation, which opens the way for Palestinian players to engage in football schools and different cultures, which refine their personality and contribute." In developing their abilities. "

For his part, a member of the Palestinian Football Association Ismail Matar told Al Jazeera Net that the decision of the Tunisian Union will encourage Tunisian clubs to contract with Palestinian players without adhering to the laws of the number of foreign professional players; Tunisian clubs will find that the Palestinian player is less expensive than the foreign player, and enjoys in time Himself with high spherical capabilities.

He stressed that the professionalism of Palestinian players in Tunisia will be a strong lever for the national team, because of the Tunisian football's history on the continental and international levels, and the presence of professional players from different football schools, which will gain Palestinian players experiences needed by the national team in its Arab, continental and international merits.

He urged Arab football federations to emulate the Tunisian and Egyptian federations, and to consider the Palestinian player as a local player, which will benefit the clubs of those countries, as well as contribute to the development of Palestinian football, which faces constant obstacles by the occupation in order to hinder its progress and prevent its development and progress.

Ashraf Mohammed, the sports editor of the local daily Al-Ayyam in Gaza, predicted that from the next winter transfer window in January, the first Palestinian players would be born, who would be responsible for appearing in the best image of Palestinian football.

Mohammed told Al Jazeera Net that the Palestinian professional player proved his ability and competence in playing in major competitions and strong, such as players of the national team Mahmoud Wadi and Tamer Siam professional in the Egyptian and Moroccan leagues. In Latin America, second and third tier clubs in Europe.

According to Mohammed, the name of the Palestinian player has become popular and known for his abilities, skills and competitive spirit, due to the results of the external participation of the national team in the past few years, and the outstanding results achieved by a long-established teams with a long history in football.

He said that the opening of important Arab countries, such as Tunisia and Egypt, to the professionalism of Palestinian players in their clubs will put them in the limelight, and perhaps the next few years will see the professionalization of Palestinian players in large European clubs, which serves the Palestinian sport on the one hand, and highlights the Palestinian cause and the suffering of the people Palestinian who has been suffering from the scourge of the occupation for seven decades.