Palestine’s matches in the tournament are attended by a large audience (Al Jazeera)
“What is happening in Gaza is heartbreaking. This aggression must end,” a phrase uttered by Qatari fan Lulwa Al-Sulaiti, who attended in order to provide a message of support and assistance to the people of Gaza and the resistance, by cheering for the Palestinian national team in its match against the Emirates in the Qatar 2023 Asian Cup.
Al-Sulaiti’s message was agreed upon by all the Arab fans of different nationalities who came to Al-Janoub Stadium in Al-Wakrah, and chanted, “With our soul and our blood, we will redeem you, O Palestine,” because Palestine is the first issue of the Arabs and Muslims.
Al-Sulaiti told Al-Jazeera Net that the Palestinians are our family and brothers, and there are many of them in Qatar. They grew up with us, we feel for them, and we live their cause, because it has become our cause, and the cause of all Arabs and the Islamic world, and defending Islamic sanctities is the duty of every Muslim.
She adds that her presence today on the field to support the Palestine national team is a message to the whole world, that the Palestinian issue will continue to exist, and will never die, and that the Palestinians exist, and the Palestinian issue is the issue of every Arab and Muslim.
“What is happening in Gaza is heartbreaking, but my support for the Palestinian cause is not linked to the recent brutal aggression against the Gaza Strip, because I have been supporting it for a long time, and I hope to see the day when Palestine will gain its freedom,” according to Al-Sulaiti.
A Palestinian fan from the Palestine vs. UAE match (Al Jazeera)
National scale
Sudanese fan Adam Omar agrees with Al-Sulaiti’s views, as he considers Palestine to be the measure of patriotism in the Arab street, and whoever supports the Palestinian cause loves his country and land, whatever its name, but whoever does not feel loyalty towards it, his affiliation to his country and his Arab and Muslim surroundings is incomplete.
Adam told Al Jazeera Net that his keenness to attend and support the Palestinian national team in a football match is a message of support for the Palestinian people who are being exterminated in the Gaza Strip, in which we say to the resistance and the mujahideen in Gaza, “We are with you and support you.”
He continued that Arab sympathy for Palestine in various events, whether sporting or non-sporting, is normal, and losing or winning a football match did not mean anything to the Palestinians as long as the land was usurped.
As for Egyptian fan Akram Essam, he believes that the Arabs’ support for the Palestine national team is a sense of Arabism in light of the current crisis, and it is also a message of support for the Palestinian cause, which is first and foremost the cause of all Arabs.
Akram told Al Jazeera Net that the Arabs are always united on this issue, and everyone offers what they can. Some support financially, and others verbally.
Also, being present in Palestine matches is only a means of supporting the cause.
He adds that the Palestinian issue is in the hearts of all Arabs and Muslims, and will never die.
The brutal aggression against our people that is happening in Gaza has created a state of awareness among new generations about the Palestinian issue, and we hope that this crisis will end and Palestine will obtain its freedom and lands.
A Palestinian girl during the Al-Fedayi match with the Emirates (Al-Jazeera)
The honorable cause
While Bahraini fan Rabah Muhammad believes that the Arabs support Palestine because it is the cause of honorable people, it is the first cause of Islam, and this cause will not die until the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate right to their own state.
Rabah told Al Jazeera Net that supporting the Palestinian national team in a football match is always and forever supporting the Palestinian cause, as well as the steadfast resistance against the occupation in the Gaza Strip, which defends its land with its lives and blood.
He adds that his support for the Palestinian national team against the UAE is not related to football, as it is in itself a different way to support the Palestinians, especially since he supports his country, Bahrain, and all the Arab teams, and wishes them success in the continental event.
Omani fan Hamza Al-Mabsali explains that the state of Arab consensus in support of the Palestine team in the Asian Championship is a state of sympathy with the Palestinian brothers in light of the ongoing occupation and aggression they are subjected to.
Al-Mabasli told Al-Jazeera Net that his support for the Palestine national team is not linked to football, but rather to supporting the Palestinian cause and the resistance in Gaza, especially since Palestine is an Arab and Islamic country, and it contains Jerusalem, and it has the same religious affiliation and loyalty.
He added that the Gaza Strip is going through tragic conditions, and we hope that this brutal aggression will stop and that Palestine will gain its freedom as soon as possible.
Al-Omani Al-Mubasli hopes that the aggression against Gaza will end and that Palestine will gain its freedom (Al-Jazeera)
We are from it and in it
The opinion of Emirati fan Saleh Al Mansouri did not differ from those before him, as he believes that Palestine is the Arab issue, and the second country for every Arab, and what is happening in the Gaza Strip does not satisfy any Arab or Muslim.
Al-Mansouri told Al-Jazeera Net that Palestine is our country: "We are from it and in it. We are with them. We support them and stand on their side, and God will grant them victory sooner or later."
He adds that football brings people together, and we are here to come together and support the Palestinian cause, and reject the aggression against Gaza.
In turn, Tunisian fan Belkacem Kilani stressed that Palestine is the cause of all honorable people everywhere in the world, and that he came to support the Palestine national team in order to send a message to the whole world that “the Palestinian cause will not die and we will continue to support it as long as we live.”
Al-Kilani told Al Jazeera Net that it is necessary to exploit such occasions, whether sporting or non-sporting, to introduce the Palestinian issue, and to confirm to the whole world that the Arab and Muslim people in general stand behind the Palestinian issue and support it.
The match between Palestine and the Emirates went off in a fun way on the field and in the stands (Al Jazeera)
Dream of returning
For his part, Palestinian fan Hosni Hadi believes that Arab support for Palestine is due to it being the first Arab issue, and the most important issue in the Arab and Islamic world, and that supporting the Palestine national team is a message to the whole world that the issue will remain and will never die.
Hosni, who was born in Qatar, told Al Jazeera Net that he dreams of the day when he can return to Palestine, pray in Al-Aqsa, go to Gaza, Jaffa, Haifa, and Akka, and move from the sea to the river.
Palestinian fan Muhammad Akbar agrees with Hosni’s opinion, as he believes that the Palestinian issue is the issue of all Arabs, Jerusalem and Islamic holy sites, and that it is natural for everyone to support this issue.
Muhammad told Al Jazeera Net that the Asian Championship was a great opportunity to present a message that the Palestinians exist, whether through the opening ceremony or the Palestine national team matches in which Arabs gather to raise the flag of Palestine.
The support of the Arab fans was not only before the match between Palestine and the Emirates, but it extended during the match with chants in support of the Palestine national team players and the Palestinian cause, including “Free Palestine” and “With our soul and blood we sacrifice for you, O Palestine.”
Source: Al Jazeera