Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Genocide in Gaza - Western Hypocrisy and FIFA’s Double Standard
Issam Khalidi
In the same way that many others are concerned and outraged about the ongoing genocide in Gaza, I was listening to an Israeli official on MSNBC saying: "the massacre of October 7, and the war in Gaza." For the ethnic cleansing of Palestine to be justified by Israel and its supporters the Israeli narrative of the 'war between Israel and Hamas' (the Genocide) must be accepted by the world.
Israel is still arguing that what is happening in Gaza is a war against Hamas who is using the citizens of Gaza as a human shield. There is no need to be a professor of international law to determine whether what is taking place in Gaza is genocide or a war. The 1948 Genocide Convention defined genocide as any act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. The term (genocide) can be defined as "the deliberate killing or severe mistreatment of a large number of people from a particular national or ethnic group in order to destroy that nation or group”. In the present day, we have an abundance of evidence proving that what is happening is genocide as far as we can see.
In the light of what we see, we can gain a
better understanding of the essence of Zionist ideology, its intentions and
goals. The statements we hear now from extremist religious leaders are
chilling, and it is difficult to believe. What is happening in Gaza has impacts
on the world’s consciousness, especially among the young generation. As a
result of Gaza's genocide, millions of people around the world have been
awakened. Many instances have been documented where people have expressed their
gratitude to the Palestinians for allowing them to open their eyes to issues, they had been ignorant of until then. Additionally, they have stated that they
were victims of the Israeli media lobby as well.
For
the first time in its history, Israel loses its propaganda war for a variety of
reasons. Among them the size of the lies, the extent of destruction, massacres,
starvation, forced displacement, etc., in
addition to the influence of social media sites, the protests throughout the
world, and many more. Israel can’t keep fooling all of the people all of the
time. Moshe Sharett, Israel’s first
Foreign Minister and later a Prime Minister once said:
I have
learned that the state of Israel cannot be ruled in our generation without deceit
and adventurism.
Genocide
is to annihilate the people physically and morally; to erase people’s hopes and
dreams. Israel did not only kill athletes, sports journalist, and administrators,
it destroyed the sports infrastructure. A large
number of sports clubs have a rich history that goes back many decades and
generations. In this regard Hilary Morgan Leatham wrote in Al-Jazeera: “Destroying
Gaza’s heritage has far reached social, political, and emotional ramification.
It is a concerted attack on the existence of Palestine and its people.”
There
was a time when Gaza was the center of gravity for Palestinian sports. Several
of its athletes and teams competed regionally and internationally. Sports in Gaza
became a part of young people’s lifestyle, a tradition that has been followed
since 1950s. It was through sports that Palestinians in Gaza Sector could
release their tensions and relieve the pain of living under siege.
Oh, how
mighty these Gazans are. In the midst of bombing and starvation, I was
fascinated to see young men performing acrobatic exercises on the beach. It
also reminds me of how Gazans managed to survive before these atrocities. As
part of a growing urban fitness discipline known as street workouts, four men
performed gravity-defying strength feats. It was not only acrobatic movements,
but an expression of rejection of the occupation as well. It was a rebellion
against oppression and injustice and a fight for freedom. In spite of the
occupation, this was another proof that Palestinians still existed.
Following Gaza's ongoing atrocities, the
Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) and Citizens International have teamed
up with 60 organizations to demand FIFA ban Israeli teams. Just recently, an
open letter was sent to FIFA asking it to suspend Israel as it did Russia
following Ukraine's invasion in 2022. According to UEFA, there are no plans to
sanction Israel because it is a different case.
In a letter to FIFA, the Palestine Football
Association (PFA) demanded that (May) Congress consider "appropriate"
sanctions against the Israeli Football Association (IFA) and its clubs for because
of "unprecedented international human rights and humanitarian law violations”
in the war on Gaza.
In general, FIFA’s
position is no different from the West's. Whenever the West
preaches democracy and human rights, but acts in a way that violates them, it
is hypocritical, especially when it comes to US and Europe’s relations with
Israel. In general, double standards refer to a discriminatory behavior that
arises when one group is treated differently from the other. In spite of the
fact that the Palestinian situation differs from the Ukrainian situation, the
West continues to treat the Ukrainian issue as a human issue, while ignoring
the long-standing Palestinian issue. As a "civilized" Western nation,
Ukraine has more privileges than the "backward" Arab and Middle
Eastern nations. FIFA used its influence on pressure Iran (to allow women to
watch men's soccer matches) and Russia for its Ukraine’s invasion but failed
to sanction Israel for its genocide. This double standard is due to the fact
that the West will only take a moral stand when its fundamental interests are
not at risk. There is nothing more
important to the West than its own interests.
These double standards are closely associated with Western arrogance and political hegemony in regions such as Africa and the Middle East. Furthermore, there is also a perception that the people of these regions are considered inferior to their Western counterparts. In spite of the fact that the West is a primary cause of their misfortunes, their cases are not given justice. It has always been the Western strategy to achieve its strategic goals at all costs and to put pressure on weak nations.
FIFA probably is afraid of another scandal or a corruption documentary. To be impartial in issues related to the genocide in Gaza, FIFA has confirmed and stood by the occupation. In order to satisfy Israel's demands, FIFA abandons the principles laid down in its statutes, sacrificing its own values and integrity for the sake of political expediency.
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Why is Palestine's FIFA Membership Important?
Issam Khalidi
During my interview with Palestinian martyr journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in November 2021, I was asked several questions as part of our interview, but this one stood out as most noteworthy of them all: What does Palestine's FIFA membership mean to us as Palestinians? In our conversation regarding this membership, I raised a few critical issues. Nevertheless, I kept thinking about this question and decided it would be a good idea to write a post about it.
أهمية عضوية فلسطين في الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم - الفيفا
عصام الخالدي
خلال لقائي الصحفي مع الشهيدة شيرين أبو عاقلة في تشرين الثاني عام ٢٠٢١ طَرحَت عليّ سؤال له معنى كبير وهو: ماذا تعني بالنسبة لنا كفلسطينيين عضوية فلسطين في الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم؟ وقد ذَكَرتُ في هذا اللقاء بعض الأمور المهمة لهذه العضوية، ولكن هذا السؤال استمر يرن بأذني ليدفعني إلى كتابة مقالاً بهذا الخصوص.
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Ideological Aspects of Palestinian Sports
Issam Khalidi
It is not unusual to see Palestinian culture (literature, art, and sports) infused with national characteristics.
Saturday, December 23, 2023
الرياضة الفلسطينية وأيديولوجيا التحرر الوطني
عصام الخالدي
تعرف الأيديولوجية بأنها مجموعة منسقة من الأفكار والمعتقدات خاصة فيما يتعلق بحياة الإنسان أو ثقافته، كما يمكن تعريف الأيديولوجية بشكل أكبر على أنها تحتوي على محتوى صريح وافتراضات ضمنية. [i] وقد توجد الأيديولوجيات في كل ثقافة وفي أشكال مختلفة دينية وعلمانية، وترتكز معظمها على أفكار غير قابلة للاختبار ومتأصلة في القيم والافتراضات الأساسية لكل ثقافة. ورغم أن الأيديولوجيات ترتكز على افتراضات غير قابلة للاختبار، فإن تأثيراتها واضحة للغاية، فهي تقوم بتوجيه وعينا وسلوكنا وعواطفنا ووجودنا الاجتماعي .
Saturday, December 16, 2023
Sports in Palestine: Writing History According to Zionist Standards
Issam Khalidi
As we browse Israeli sports historians' research, we are not surprised to find that they present Palestine as a place devoid of Palestinians. If such histories mention the Palestinians, they invariably depict them as lacking any cultural or social aspect. According to them, Zionists populated the region and brought civilization to it; that their efforts brought sports to primitive people who had never experienced them before. Efforts to distort reality and rewrite history are not new. In fact, up until 1948, Arab sports clubs in Palestine numbered about sixty-five clubs, of which fifty-five were members of the (Arab) Palestinian Sports Federation.
Friday, November 24, 2023
Monday, October 9, 2023
School Physical Education in Palestine 1900 – 1948
Issam
Khalidi
School
sport played a pivotal role in the Palestinian sports movement throughout its
history. It was at the core of this movement from the very beginning. As
schools in Palestine existed before clubs, sports activities were generally
practiced in schools before clubs were established. Schools formed their
own football teams and competed against one another. They met with teams from
social-athletic clubs and the British military. At the same time school
graduates formed their own teams and clubs that competed with Palestinian clubs
in sporting activities. Annual field day has been held by all public and
private schools in Palestine since the early 1920s. School physical activities
and competitions strengthened the bonds between Palestinians in different
villages and cities.
Saturday, September 2, 2023
Physical Inactivity: An Overlooked Side Effect of The First Palestinian Intifada (1987 - 1993)
Issam Khalidi
In
1987, with the start of the glorious Palestinian Intifada in the West Bank and
Gaza, the occupation forces stormed social and sports clubs and arrested their
members. As a precautionary measure, the clubs were closed within a short
period of time. The suspension of sports activities had a negative impact on
the growth of sports in Palestine. As national festivals, sports games were one
of the biggest events to be held during the occupation period.
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
مؤرخو الرياضة الإسرائيليون : تدوين التاريخ الرياضي في فلسطين وفق المعايير الصهيونية
عصام سامي الخالدي
بعد عام 1948 سعى الصهاينة إلى تبرير جرائمهم
التي ارتكبوها ضد الشعب الفلسطيني مستخدمين كل الوسائل من أجل إخفاء ومحو وتشويه تاريخه ، وكان من ضمنها مصادرة الكثير من الكتب
والوثائق والصور وحبسها في المكتبات والأرشيف الإسرائيلي ، بالإضافة إلى كتابة
التاريخ في سياق مفبرك يخدم في النهاية الفكر الصهيوني ويتوافق مع معاييره
العنصرية الشوفينية. وليس بالغريب أن نرى أن المؤرخين الإسرائيليين قد لعبوا دوراً في تنفيذ هذه المهمة ،
فعندما نتصفح الابحاث والمقالات عن تاريخ الرياضة التي
يكتبها باحثون ومؤرخون رياضيون إسرائيليون يأتي إلى مخيلتنا هذا الانطباع وكأن فلسطين كانت خالية من شعب عربي فلسطيني كان يعيش على هذه الأرض لقرون
عدة ، يمارس نشاطاته وحياته العادية. وتدل الحقائق التاريخية أن عدد الأندية الرياضية العربية في فلسطين حتى عام 1948 قد بلغ حوالي خمس
وستون نادياً كان منهم خمس وخمسون عضوا في الاتحاد الرياضي الفلسطيني. [1]
Sunday, June 11, 2023
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Thursday, December 8, 2022
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Sunday, November 6, 2022
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Friday, August 5, 2022
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
Friday, July 1, 2022
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Thursday, June 23, 2022
Monday, June 20, 2022
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Sunday, May 15, 2022
Sunday, April 24, 2022
الرياضة الفلسطينية ودورها في حركة المقاطعة وسحب الاستثمار وفرض العقوبات BDS
عصام الخالدي
من الصعب تجاهل الدور الذي يمكن أن تلعبه الرياضة في وقتنا الحاضر في محاربة العنصرية وفي حركة التحرر الوطني ، وقد اثبتت التجربة الفلسطينية أن الرياضة لم تكن وسيلة في إبراز الهوية الوطنية فحسب، بل أيضاً أداة للتصدي ومواجهة الاحتلال وفضح ممارساته القمعية التعسفية ، كما وأصبحت الرياضة لاعباً فعالاً في حركة المقاطعة Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions BDS وسحب الاستثمار وفرض العقوبات . في عام 2005 ، دعت منظمات المجتمع المدني الفلسطيني إلى المقاطعة كشكل من أشكال الضعط غير العنيف على إسرائيل ، وتم إطلاق حركة المقاطعة من قبل 170 نقابة فلسطينية وشبكات اللاجئين والمنظمات النسائية والجمعيات المهنية ولجان المقاومة الشعبية وهيئات المجتمع المدني الفلسطينية الأخرى. هذه الحركة مستوحاة من حركة جنوب إفريقيا المناهضة للفصل العنصري ، تحت دعوة المقاطعة الفلسطينية (BDS) للضغط غير العنيف على إسرائيل حتى تتماثل أمام القانون الدولي. [1]
Sunday, April 17, 2022
Thursday, April 14, 2022
Saturday, March 19, 2022
الاتحاد الدولي
لكرة القدم (الفيفا): أخلاقيات النفاق وازدواجية المعايير
تؤكد لنا احداث روسيا – اوكرانيا
والتعاطف الدولي مع "القضية الأوكرانية" نفاق العالم الغربي وازدواجية
المعايير في التعامل مع هذه القضية بالمقارنة مع صمته وتعامله الفوقي مع قضية
فلسطين والقضايا الاخرى العراق ، سوريا ، افغانستان ، اليمن ، وليبيا. وعلى الصعيد
الكروي نرى بوضوح كيف كانت وما زالت "الفيفا" ونظيرتها "اليويفا"
تمنعان الرياضيين والجمهور الذي كان يتعاطف مع فلسطين وغيرها تحت شعار عدم خلط
الرياضة بالسياسة، ليصبح التعاطف مع أوكرانيا جزء من طقوس المباريات وأخلاقيات
هاتين المؤسستين ، فنحن قبل هذه الاحداث كنا
نعلم جيدا مواقف الغرب هذه، ولكن ما اعترانا الآن هو الشعور بعمق وتزايد خيبة الأمل
والاشمئزاز تجاه هذا السلوك الغربي بسبب النفاق وازدواجية المعايير . ومن المؤكد أنه سيكون
لهذه المشاعر آثارها على كيفية تعاملنا مع الغرب ومؤسساته في المستقبل .
Monday, February 21, 2022
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Sunday, August 15, 2021
Sunday, August 8, 2021
Sunday, July 25, 2021
Saturday, July 24, 2021
Sunday, June 13, 2021
هل أراد الصهاينة التعاون مع العرب في المجال الرياضي في فلسطين الانتدابية؟
عصام الخالدي
يدعي
المؤرخون الإسرائيليون دائما أن قيادتهم الرياضية الصهيونية في فلسطين كانت على استعداد
دائم للتعاون مع العرب ، وأن الثاني كان يصر على رفض التعاون معهم في المجال
الرياضي . نعم ، كان هناك رفض من الجانب العربي للتعاون مع الصهاينة في المجال
الرياضي لأسباب اهمها أن الصهاينة لم يبدوا النية الصادقة للتعاون مع العرب ، وحتى
لو أبدوا النية في التعاون مع العرب فإنها كثيرا ما كانت تبقى ضمن نطاق محدود أو
أنهم كانوا مرغمون بسبب متطلبات الاتحادات الدولية.
Sunday, May 30, 2021
Saturday, May 1, 2021
Saturday, November 28, 2020
Thursday, November 12, 2020
Thursday, October 22, 2020
The Origin of Palestino Club's Shirt