Despite the outcome of their friendly match against Bohemians in the packed Dalymount Park on Wednesday night, the successful arrival of the Palestinian team in Dublin can already be regarded as a triumph.
A significant number of the team members navigated a journey from the West Bank through Jordan, while others travelled from countries including Canada, Sweden, Germany, and the U.S. These are the countries where they or their parents had moved to build a fresh existence. Lebanon was the starting point for one player who reached Dublin on Tuesday morning. Notably, there are no team members from Gaza.
Upon their arrival, the majority of the team was immensely touched by the warm welcome they encountered in Dublin, which began on Sunday when they arrived. Deema Said, the team manager and a former international hailing from Ramallah in the West Bank, expressed her gratitude by saying, “This warm welcome has been astonishing. We’ve experienced the affection here, which we will carry back to Palestine.”
Among the squad is Dina Abdeen, a 17-year-old Virginia resident and soon-to-be graduate of West Springfield High School, who is one of the eight “exiles” as Said labelled them. Her parents were born in Palestine and later migrated to the U.S. hoping for a brighter future and envisaging returning one day. Abdeen has a clear understanding of Palestine and its history since she was brought up by parents who imbued in her a knowledge of her homeland.
She has been playing football since a young age, dreaming of representing Palestine. The bond she shares with her team members, who are like her elder siblings, is fuelled by their shared Palestinian heritage.
“We share divergent lives and world experiences, but our Palestinian heritage unites us,” Abdeen says. “Collectively, we strive to voice our existence and demonstrate our resilience. All we want is to represent our people and Palestine.”
The inability to join the team in Palestine due to existing barriers and border controls necessitated the meeting elsewhere. Notably, the demolitions in Gaza have left the playgrounds and stadiums in ruins.
Managing the emotional toll has been quite challenging, particularly because of the geographical distance that hinders directly helping the people. However, their resilience remains undeterred. Being in Ireland and proudly representing Palestine by wearing a flag with their name inscribed instills an immense sense of honour. There’s hope that their efforts pay off and bring pride to their people.
The hospitality of the Irish people has been moving from the moment of their arrival. Showing kindness and offering gifts, has provided an unprecedented experience.
Jibril Rajoub, the leader of the Palestinian Football Association, who was present during the players’ interaction with the media on Tuesday in Dalymount, emphasised his toughness drawn from a 17-year stint in prison that started when he was only 15. Rajoub, having formerly served in the Palestine Liberation Organisation, is quite conversant with resilience.
In his passionate address, he talked about what he believes is an “ethnic cleansing” perpetrated against the Palestinians. He brought attention to the fact that the match against Bohemians coincides with the 76th anniversary of Nakba, where Israel allegedly attempted “to erase Palestine from existence on the map”.
He stressed their determination to persist in their struggle. An inspiring encounter with the Irish President the previous day, symbolised the escalating solidarity, motivating them to soldier on. Their presence in Ireland illustrates that they aren’t isolated. This sends a hopeful message back home while communicating to the Israelis that patience is wearing thin.
The sentiment was reiterated, urging to affirm the enduring existence of Palestine. They pledged to avoid letting Palestine fade into oblivion, stating that their cause goes beyond football. Their mere presence delivered a strong message; they were poised to uphold Palestine’s honour by all available means.