More Noble Than War

The history of Israel and Palestine through the lens of the world's most popular sportFootball has never been shy of politics. This is especially true for Israel and Palestine. Introduced by Victorian churchmen, it swiftly became a vehicle for nationalism and pride. Under British rule, Jewish and Palestinian teams competed in the same leagues, not only on the pitch, but in smoky committee rooms and street corners, as the two communities fought for control of the sport. After the creation of Israel in 1948, Palestinian football survived among refugees, with Jordan's greatest side hailing from the poorest of the camps. In recent years, some of the best teams and players in Israel's dynamic Premier League have been Palestinian - inspiring hope that football might help unite the Arab and Jewish communities. Meanwhile, in the West Bank and Gaza, a series of recent shock wins has seen Palestine climb the FIFA rankings, making football the one field where Palestinians can compete with pride on a world stage. This is a vibrant and often shocking story filled with driven, even ferocious people who are inspired by nationalism as much as by a love of the game. There are many sacrifices, as brilliant teams are scattered by wars, sidelined through boycotts, and stories of players arrested, expelled, driven to hunger strikes, and beaten or shot. It is a story not simply of Jewish-Arab rivalry, but also of the deep fracture lines within each community.