In 1931, Joseph Yekutieli – head of the
Maccabi Organization - established the Federation of the Amateur Sports Clubs
of Palestine FASCP which became member of the International Volleyball
Federation in 1940’s. Arabs were not members of this federation.
After
the re-establishment of the Arab Palestine Sports Federation in 1944, sports in
Palestine were divided into regional and branch committees - for different
sports. Volleyball was included with basketball in one branch committee. [1]
In 1962 Palestine
Sports Federation – Committee of Football was established in Sector Gaza.
Later, Palestine Volleyball Federation was founded. Gaza Sector witnessed a
reasonable sports growth during the period 1950s until 1967. To gain a
membership in FIFA, Palestine required to have at least five federations
members in respective international federations. In 1965, it applied to join
the International Volleyball Association; however, its application was rejected
under the pretext that Gaza Sector has no status of a state. In 1966, Palestine
took part in the Games of the New Emerging Forces (GANEFO).[2]
In 1964, the PLO was founded. In 1968, a decision was made by the PLO to
form the Palestine Supreme Council for Youth Care; the PLO member Ibrahim
Sukkar signed this decree. Farook al-Qadoumi (member of the executive committee
of PLO) assigned Ibrahim al-Zard for secretary of the committee. In 1969, few branch committees were
established in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar,
and the United Arab Emirates. After 1970, the headquarters of this committee
was moved from Amman to Lebanon. A new
supreme council was formed from qualified Palestinian athletic leaders in
Lebanon. The council started to remove
the impacts of the war; new clubs were founded in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.
Athletic and scouts’ activities started to rise.
The
first national volleyball team was formed in 1973 in Lebanon, it took part in
the Arab School Tournament in Lebanon in 1973, and in the Pan Arab School Games
in Lebanon in 1973. It represented Palestine in flagship team in few Arab and
regional tournaments, championships, and games. Other (Palestinian) players took
part from Kuwait, Syria and Iraq. Later Palestine Volleyball Association
was founded in the 1975 in Kuwait. It joined the Arab Volleyball Association in
1980. The Palestinian national
team included players from Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Kuwait.
Among volleyball activists in Lebanon,
Kamel Dghaim, a member of the 1974-1982 volleyball federation, a Palestinian
volleyball player, and an official of physical education at the Siblin Center
trained and played in Palestinian clubs. Ghaleb Al-Saleh, served as secretary
of the volleyball federation 1974-1982 and coached the Palestinian volleyball national
team. At that time a women team participated in Arab and regional championships and festivals.[3]
In the West Bank, in
July 1969, the YMCA in Jerusalem opened the first lighted stadium where games
in volleyball, basketball and handball were held. Sports clubs in the West
Bank began organizing a tournament called Sa’iqa (lightning strike). The
first tournament in volleyball was organized by the East Jerusalem - YMCA in
1969 where the following teams took part: YMCA, Sour Baher, Ibrahimiyya
College, De La Salle Bethlehem, Jalazoun Ramallah, Eibal Nablus, Beit Jala.[4] In
1971 six teams took part in the second Sa’iqa where the Jalazzon team won over
YMCA. This Sa’iqa continued until 1976. YMCA, Jalazzon, Balata
and Eizariyya competed to win this tournament. [5]
In
1975, Rabitat al-Andiyya League of Sports Clubs in the West Bank was
founded. Later, in 1980 other Rabita was founded in Gaza Sector. This
Rabita began functioning as a Ministry of Sports. It took different
responsibilities and duties. One of its
main responsibilities was the mobilization of all efforts for the advancement
of sports and welfare of young men.
One of its main
functions was organizing and supervising the tournaments and competitions in
the West Bank. Al-Rabita built a
system which was based on national, social, and organizational principles. It had no links to government departments and
was free from state bureaucracy. Its members were volunteers who desirably gave
their efforts and time for free. [6]
Until 1986, the game of volleyball was practiced in form of friendly Sa’iqa
(lightning),
organized by clubs in rotation on their open courts. Matches of these
tournaments were held for one day (or two days if needed). Among these
tournaments were: the Sabra
and Shatila Martyrs Championship which was regularly organized by Rammoun Club;
the Martyrs Championship by Rantis Club; the Martyr League Championship by Al-Mazra’a
al-Sharqiyyah Club; the Orange Championship by Jericho Youth Club; the Spring
Championship organized by Askar Youth Center; the Summer Championship by Sinjel
Club, the Al-Adha (Championship organized annually by Jayyous SC, the Ramadan
Tournament by Ama’ari Youth Center. Other annual tournaments were held in Deir
Dibwan, Aboud, Deir Abu Mashaal, Deir Ballout, Tal, Beit Furik, Al-A’uja,
Al-Eizariya, Al-Muallimeen (Teachers) Institute in Ramallah and others.[7]
The Rabita formed the Committee of
Volleyball in 1986. Then, the first championship in volleyball was held on the
stadiums of Deir Dibwan on September 1986. Eight teams competed for the title, four from the West Bank: Deir Dibwan,
Rantis, Al-Auja, Deir Ballout, and four from the Gaza Strip: Jabalia Services,
Gaza Sports Club, Al-Ahly Gaza, and Beit Hanoun.[8]
The Jabalia Service Center in Gaza
Sector hosted the tournament in 1987, under the supervision of Rabitat
al-Andiya, and the participation was limited to four teams: Jabalia
Services, Gaza Sports, Deir Dibwan, and Al-Ama’ari Center. [9]
After the establishment of the Palestinian
Authority, the Palestine Federation of Volleyball was re-formed. The first national
championship was held in 1995. Until mid-1990s volleyball in Palestine was one
of the most popular games.[10]
Volleyball activities were suspended
due to the second Intifada 2000-2002. In 2005, a new Trophy Championship Botoulat
al-Dir’ had started. While the Super Cup was introduced at the opening of
each new season starting in 2010, with retaining the refreshing tournaments
from time to time. Tournaments for age groups (youth, juniors, and cubs) had
been approved and started in 2011.
The first women's tournament was held in 2007. Later, the league
championship for all levels was added to it due to the small number of women's
teams, and at the beginning of 2017 the Women's Super-Cup was introduced.[11]
In October 2018 the Palestinian team achieved
its first official international victory, at expense of the Jordanian team, in
the Arab Volleyball Championship which was hosted by Egypt.
Currently, the number of clubs
affiliated with the Volleyball Association is about 40 clubs in the West Bank,
10 of which are in the premium league and 12 in the first. In the Gaza Strip,
there are approximately 30 clubs of different levels affiliated to this
association.[12]
Just recently the Volleyball Federation, represented by its president Hamza Radi, signed an exclusive sponsorship agreement for the 19th Palestine Cup for men in volleyball, with “Gerovital Palestine” company represented by its exclusive agent, Murad Burqan. [13]
At the Executive Committee meeting
held in Tunis, the Arab Volleyball Federation approved the President of the
Palestinian Federation Hamzah Radhi, a member of the Executive Committee of the
Arab Federation. [14]
Due to Covid 19, volleyball is witnessing a noticeable decline, since it
was the first popular game during the 1990s.[15] Nevertheless, Palestine Volleyball Federation
is launching a regional tournament in order to revive the game.
References:
[1] Issam Khalidi, One Hundred Years of Football in Palestine
(Amman: Dar al-Shorook 2013) p. 47
[2] Issam Khalidi, One Hundred Years of Football in Palestine.
p 102
[3] Khalid
Ijjawi, Al-haraka al-Riyadiyyah fi al-Shatat.
Palestinian Sports Movement in Diaspora, Damascus, 2001. P 449
[4] Rasim
Younis, Al-Haraka al-Riyadia fi -Al-Dhaffa al-Gharbiyyah 1967-1987. 1992, p 193
[5] Rasim Younis. p 194
[6] Issam Khalidi, One Hundred Years of Football in Palestine.
p
[7] Rasim
Younis. p 194
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] https://www.al-ayyam.ps/ar_page.php?id=1408ce60y336121440Y1408ce60&fbclid=IwAR3t38l9zPkErPlizLI5Ti997mQiZ9okEYN5BFZpwuTj_lIJ7sCpJ3tWkxo
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