Fatah Official "expresses appreciation" to Barcelona Football Club for not playing a match in “occupied Jerusalem”
Headline: “The Palestinian [Football] Association expresses its appreciation for Barcelona’s brave decision to move [the location of] its match against the Beitar [Jerusalem] club”
“The Palestinian Football Association expressed its appreciation for the Barcelona club’s brave decision to move its match against the Israeli Beitar [Jerusalem] club to a different location. The match was supposed to take place on Aug. 4, [2021,] in occupied Jerusalem at Teddy Stadium (i.e., in southwestern Jerusalem), which was established on the lands of the depopulated village of Al-Maliha.
In a press release yesterday [July 17, 2021], the Palestinian [Football] Association said that it appreciates the respect that the veteran Catalonian club is demonstrating towards the sensibilities of millions of its fans around the world – fans who were shocked by the idea that the club that is known for its sympathy for the oppressed and for respecting human rights would play against one of the most racist clubs in the modern world.
[Palestinian Football] Association Chairman Jibril Rajoub thanked Barcelona club President Joan Laporta for his brave decision to move the match…
Rajoub expressed sorrow to Laporta over the attempts of political bodies to manipulate football. He also emphasized to him their shared belief that football has a stronger impact than what can be achieved through politics, because football has a true global impact and a greater ability to create unity…
He emphasized that the Palestinian [Football] Association received confirmation from the Catalonian club that the location of the match will not be in Jerusalem, despite the attempts of the racist Beitar club to exploit the Barcelona club in order to play a clearly political match, which was expressed by its insistence on holding it in occupied Jerusalem.”
Jibril Rajoub also serves as Head of the PLO Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Chairman of the Palestinian Football Association, Chairman of the Palestine Olympic Committee, and Chairman of the Palestinian Scout Association (PSA).