Palestinian soccer team misses World Cup qualifier, blames Israel

It's unfortunate that not only do families houses such as my relatives mansion get raided bulldozed while on vacation just because the israeli government views a crucifix on the wall inside their house that could be viewed through the window as a threat in some way to the "isreali people", now people trying to productive in life and live like everyone else can't even leave their doorstep.

for 5 years from ever competing in the world cup. I know it is too excessive, but feed them the same justice they have been feding the Palestinians.

The question is are the launching of attacks from a place Israel has left the cause or effect of this blockade? I strongly suspect the former. Giving people something to do other than sit and stew is a good idea. That being said, the Armed Struggle has prices and willingness to pay the latter or a decision to set the former aside for new tactics would win more sympathy than these protests. HTG

For you to assume that all the residents in Gaza are terrorists is unreasonable. Need I remind you that it was your Mossaad that funded Hamas in order to oppose the PLO in arafat's prime? Our memories are short, are they not?

How long can we turn a blind eye to this type of behavior? Israel doesn't allow the Palestinian team to go for two reasons...first, it gives the Palestinian people less hope if we show dominance over their national heroes (the football players) and second, it prevents the Palestinians from getting media attention that is other than suicide bombers, terrorists, radicals, jew killers, america-haters, etc. Let's call a spade a spade...you want peace with those Palestinians, let them live with you side by side, without apartheid conditions, without walls, and without hate. Their hate will in turn vanish.

shhhhh!...don't tell anyone...but they're being subsidized by bleeding-heart-left-wingers who believe in their equal rights... sucks don't it; you shameless bigot you!

take you nose out of the air, boy, and ask youself just what right YOU have to deny them the same chance as anyone else to try. are you afraid they might reach out and TWEAK that raised beak of yours and make you look as stupid as you sound?

Lack of Preparation on the Palestinians part makes an emergency on Israel part. I don't think so. The Palestinians need to take responsibility for their own actions.

Israel has been allowed to compete in European leagues because of Arab boycott in these matters even though it is geographically an Asian country. Many Arab countries don't act particularly sportsmanlike when it comes to competitions with Israel, so the European sports associations decided it would be better to include Israel here. I for one have no problem with that solution, but Israel should set higher standards for itself than the Arabs and refrain from hindering a Palestinian team in such a petty way.

stament,just like most European names. Father O'Reilly hasn't taught you well ,if at all.

Quite a few clear options that these top athletes may have otherwise taken advantage of: - Hamas could have gotten them as far as foreign terrorist training camps (Afghan, etc.), from which point alternative transsportatin could easily be arranged. - Obvious tunnel options into Egypt. - One-way tickets through enhanced Gazan rocket technology. Just launch these fellas eastward! Given the obvious list of alternatives, I can only assume they either didn't try hard enough or are just making misleading claims of actually having a football team.

All countries with a national soccer league can enter the World Cup. For instance Scotland that does not have its own state, army or currency, or seat at the UN can enter a team. Ditto Palestine.

is the correct word and I hope that a state like Israel should be familiar with the word as they have been discriminated earlier in their history.

Israel is an Asian Country, its not in Europe. Why are they allowed play in European International Soccer Competitions?

in Germany we have match fixing, bribes paid to the New Zealand member of the world cup selection committee and you talk about "european standards" You are a racist bigot with hypocrisy as a topping as usual.

no,they didn't have exlosive belts.

the pals have a good team in another sport. no one complains about the use of rockets against the neighbours!

Yes, there is a humanitarian crisis - man made by Israel. Perhaps we should cut off electricity and water to Israel (as well as food supplies) in order to protest the killing of 6 times as many Palestinians as Israelis. That would teach us Israelis a lesson.

Hmmm I checked the records and not all Palestinians voted for Hamas. Using your logic, though, all Israelis are potential soldiers and therefore legitimate military targets. Think again, Mark, and this time don't let your racism take control of you.

I can't think of any good reason to prevent a Palestinian sports team from participating in an international competition, surely the players present no terrorist threat themselves. This is just generating bad publicity for Israel and angering Palestinians for no good reason whatsoever. By the way, although most national teams in soccer are from souvereign nations, that is not a binding requirement (see UK for this)

See this article originally from Haaretz: http://www.fromoccupiedpalestine.org/node/1617

"I thought you had to be a country to field a team in the world cup." No, you only need to be a nation. Also, nobody is trying to annihilate Brooklyn and banish its residents simply because they are of the wrong religion.

whose national and club teams participate in the EUROPEAN contests and why? because the UEFA helped Israel - geographically Asia - out of the dilemma of being embargoed by most Asian countries. If Israel continues to interfere with the Palestinian team they should be suspended from all European contests. Do not expect generosity when you have none.

Omar #20, "Israel occupied the Strip in 1967, and there were no rockets for the first 35 years but they still remained occupiers." You realize, of course, you make a good argument for why Israel should not have pulled out of Gaza, and for why they should not pull out of the West Bank either. In any event, Israel's border with Gaza is an international frontier. No country is obligated to allow anyone to cross its border. Not Israel, and not anyone else either.

I thought you had to be a country to field a team in the world cup. Last I checked, there was no country named Palestine. Now I feel that I should organize a Brooklyn team for the cup!

Mark you sure you want to use that logic? Using your same logic, since Olmert and Kadima are in power because the majority of Israelis voted for them, and since the Israeli government has ordered the assasination of thousands of Palestinian suspects and usual innocent bystanders including women and children, then it would be legitimate for Hamas to target ANY Israeli or possibly any Jew in the world. You don't really want to argue for that do you? Racism is a double sided sword that cuts both ways.

Excellent proof Margie - except you forgot the first few steps. Palestinian civilians living in what is now Israel evidently planned to have European zionists immigrate by the thousands/month, and then launch a war of "independence" and force these civilians to live in refugee camps in Gaza, then Israel blockades and surrounds Gaza like a giant prison camp, then won't allow international athletes to leave.... all to embarass Israel. Wow those Palestinians are so clever, and they planned this all out from 1930 to unfairly tarnish the good name of Zionism! They are the true international chess champions who beat big blue. I am so glad your eagle eye has exposed this Palestinian fraud!

Unfortunately, the Shabak does indeed sometimes go above and beyond normal sanity levels when it comes to the Pals. (hey, for all you doubters out there they also get out of control with Israelis too... one famous example helped kill our prime minister). This is simply a bad decision by the security geeks. Politics is politics. War is war. And sports is the tool to overcome bad politics and wars. I may be a right winger, but I'm not a dumb winger. I don't want to see Israel banned from sports events, and in the same spirit of sports, I don't want to see the Pals banned either. Let's hope FIFA agrees to the appeal, and my government comes to its senses on this one.

You write "Because nearly ALL palis voted for Hamas." That ridiculous statement right there disqualifies you from having an educated opinion until you do some research and get your facts straight. And by the way, your concurrance with Margie makes you eligible for Aviv's criticism as well....

You really need to read, my friend. 1- The war was waged by Israel in what it called a "pre-emptive strike". The 'Arabs' as you call them didn't attack first. Israel wanted the West Bank, it's no secret. 2- Don't say "you" to me when talking about 'Arabs' who 'attacked' . Most of the current population of Gaza and the West Bank wasn't born in 1967, so the 'you' you're talking about is immaterial. Furthermore, read #1 above again. Third, I'm not Egyptian, nor am I Jordanian, nor Syrian. So who exactly is the "you" that you are referring to? The Palestinians didn't have an army in 1967. 3- WHO has been a 'crybaby' over the last decades? "Arabs have 22 states, we have only one" or "the Arabs started it" or "the Arabs want to annihilate us"... you of ALL people are the last who need to accuse others (especially Palestinians, who are the most resilient people on earth) of being crybabies. You foreigners can't hold a candle to us.

The Pals had planted a bomb in soccer balls to use in another terrorist operation. Unfortunately, someone used the "wrong" ball, and there were some significant injuries and deaths. The remaining team members went to the funeral. They promise to be more careful in the future, and only kill civilians, not themselves.

POP likes to cry out apartheid, sanctuary, apartheid, sanctuary, apartheid.... whew, POP understands why Israel cannot be in the same section as the Arab countries and must play in European qualifiers. Arab apartheid...won't play with Jews.

http://www.fromoccupiedpalestine.org/node/1617 Haaretz article

& mental health

Pals from Gaza: stop shooting missiles to Israel and matters will turn to the better for you!

are covers for terror org. In one of the reports, friendly to palis,sundance chanel was showing up to a half of the team died as suicide bomber. And palis were the most proud of tham. Innocent soccer players, indeed. P.S.If i remember The name of the programm was "Amiras children".

After reading these posts, no wonder Israel has become the world's laughing stock. Sadly, we are becoming more and more like those by whom we had been oppressed and murdered. Sad days are ahead for Israel and it is unfortunate most living in Israel cannot/do not wish to see it. What a pity.

there's an apparent humanitarian crisis in Gaza. the people are starving, the Palestinians say. they need international money in order to survive, they say. yet...they have a soccer team that is flying to southeast Asia to play in a soccer tournament. and soccer players eat a lot of food to stay in shape. and tournaments require hotels and flights and entrance fees. something doesn't jive here...

"It`s one more part of Israel`s plan to demoralise the Palestinians and `persuade` them to leave. No small symbol of nationhood is to be allowed to them." Yet, the team in the West Bank was free to travel to the game if they liked. So either Israel is really poor at demoralizing an entire people because they focus on small groups, or you treat Gaza and West Bank as separate countries / people. Either way, your post shows more about your knee-jerk hatred than honest analysis...which in itself is pretty disgusting!

I wonder whose the whinier b'otch.

Last I remember, Hamas and Islamic Jihad were using their only stadium in Gaza for parades and as a terrorist training ground. Unless the Pals practice kicking qassams around, I really don't see when and where they practice.

This just shows Hamas doesn care about soccer!! If they did they would have held up arms shipments to let the players through. Hamas's lack of patriotism is to blame.

You write "Because nearly ALL palis voted for Hamas." That ridiculous statement right there disqualifies you from having an educated opinion until you do some research and get your facts straight. And by the way, your concurrance with Margie makes you eligible for Aviv's criticism as well....

Israel occupied Gaza in a war in which Israel was attacked by Arabs. You 'inadvertantly' left that part out. In fact, they actually occupied all of the Sinai, which is significantly bigger than Gaza. They gave back most of it to Egypt. But the crucial piece of information you don't really want people to know is that while yes Israel occupies Gaza, it was Israel that was attacked by Arabs. You shouldn't wage wars if you're going to be a crybaby when you lose.

Because nearly ALL palis voted for Hamas. The travel restrictions are entirely due to Hamas et al's penchant for terror attacks. Palis have often used women, children and ambulances to transport terror and weapons. Why should the Israelis take a chance this time? The Palis have made their bed and now it's time for them to lie in it. Don't accuse someone of being racist until you have all the facts.

be allowed to. It wouldn't look good for Israel.

If it had been the other way around you would be screaming. Why is it OK to discriminate against ALL Palestinians?

She'll accuse you of being an anti-Semite because you're asking Jews (not Israelis mind you, but Jews) to sacrifice their well being by treating non-Jews in Palestine as human beings. Then she'll provide you with a private email where you can discuss peace. Of course Israel still controls the Gaza strip from the outside (and even the population registry, i.e. who can 'legally' reside there or not and who can enter and exit). Firing home-made projectiles into Israel is idiotic to say the least, because they only serve to feed the racism of people like many on this Talkback, people who are out to annihilate Palestinians and are looking for good excuses to do so. But even if there were no rockets, Israel (and Margie) would find another excuse for the stranglehold. Israel occupied the Strip in 1967, and there were no rockets for the first 35 years but they still remained occupiers.

My respect forMr. Observer from Boston (#3). Finaly someone managed to write something that isn't full of hatred or blames one side for everything bad that happens. Solutions - that is what we need!

...is so right - of course they could have gone thru Egypt, but where is the fun of blaming Israel in that? So now they can cry "Foul, Ref!", and with any luck, the gullible FIFA might even give them a bye in the first round, and their inglorious exit will only come in the second round.

Hamas controls the Gaza, is at war with Israel (via the daily rocket attacks), and has been shunned by most of the world. That nobody can leave Gaza unless they're in need of life-saving medical attention is not Apartheid. It's the direct consequence of officially engaging in terrorism.

I read somewhere else that the Pals refused to comete with Singapore (and did not trabvel at all to the game) in protest to the ethnicity Singapore coach (Avramovic)...

This just saves the EU money on travel expenses.

"Abu Hasheesh said the 18 team members didn't receive Israeli permits to leave Gaza for the game" So basically you withdraw from Gaza but the residents still need your permission to do anything since you control the borders, air, etc. You really have made life better for these people by leaving. I can't imagine why they keep launching those rockets at you! Rollin

and they are

It's one more part of Israel's plan to demoralise the Palestinians and 'persuade' them to leave. No small symbol of nationhood is to be allowed to them. Disgusting.

to be one of the characteristics of our neighbors. Have the Arabs ever consider the concept of introspection? I have not noticed it!

Since Egypt is able to allow terrorists to enter Gaza,it could also allow football players to exit it...

Are any of the 18 players linked to Hamas or any other terror group? How easy would it be for terrorists to travel if they simply form a soccer team or any other sports team. Overthrow hamas and see how life gets better.

Maybe those soccer players should be using kassam rockets to practise, instead of soccer balls. Their reaction is typical of today's pals: they never take responsibilty for their acts and keep blaming others. This again is proof that they do not deserve their own state.

Hamas is to blame. PERIOD !

So now some poor and primitive amateur nations are going to take over the world cup all alone, probably Germany or Brazil will have a chance to win. "Palestinians" did too well in the Olympic games in Munich back then, everybody is afraid of them doing well on the pitch.

I mean soccer could be a good way to release all that energy, to get their mind away from the war and concentrate on something that is healthy. Israel should be promoting sports and education in the Palestinian territories rather than prohibiting them. Otherwise the Palestinians will have nothing better to do than joining a terror cell. That's my opinion.

Maybe they should of strapped themselves to a rocket and shot out of Gaza.

for just this reason. Those clever Jewish brains had it all worked out years ago. They reasoned like this: If we cause terrorism against us they will behave disgustingly to us (forgive the apt adjective) and we will be forced to prevent them from using crossings through our territory in case they injure us. Therefore if they are ever to compete in international soccer trials they will be late and we will have done it on purpose because we won't let them expedite their leaving and neglect security precautions. All the Jews' fault one again. QED