The Palestinian national football team played its first European match on 6 May, in a match that was watched avidly by Palestinians and football fans across the Middle East. The match took place in Brussels and was a friendly against the Belgium Molenbeek team. The match was one of UNRWA’s 60th anniversary events and was organised with the help of the EU as part of the EU-UNRWA Partnership for Peace and Humanity. Assembling the Palestine team in Brussels for the match was in itself a considerable challenge. The Palestinian side had to make do with a squad of 16 rather than the standard 22, due to travel restrictions – and it took seven of the Gaza bas ed squad members three days to get to Belgium. But at least a full team was present and able to play.
To read more, click here.
