Palestinian football will return to the field on September 4th, after a forced break that lasted almost three years due to the war in Gaza. This was announced by the Palestinian Football Federation, which set the first competition of the restart as the “Cup of a Thousand Martyrs”.
The tournament will be dedicated, according to the federation, to the over one thousand Palestinian athletes killed during the war. More than 200 clubs will take part in the event: 146 from the West Bank, 44 from Gaza and 36 from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
Rajoub: «Sport will continue to be a symbol of hope»
“We have not lost our national will, nor the belief that sport will continue to be a symbol of hope and life,” said the president of the Palestinian Football Federation, Jibril Rajoub.
Rajoub also reiterated his request to FIFA to adopt sanctions against Israeli clubs operating in West Bank settlements and to suspend Israel from the world football organization for its conduct during the conflict in Gaza.