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luke
Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Location: by the sea
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 Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:49 pm Post subject: Palestine National Youth Football Team Refused Visas |
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| Quote: | PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday 21st August 2007
PALESTINE NATIONAL YOUTH FOOTBALL TEAM
REFUSED VISAS TO ENTER UK
The British Government has refused to issue visas for the Palestine National Youth Football Team to travel to England. The team was due to arrive on 21st August for a 3-week tour of the UK. Visas were refused both to Palestinians living in Palestine, and refugees domiciled elsewhere. The official reason given for refusing the visitors visas is that the Palestinians are too poor to be trusted to return home.
The Entry Clearance Officer at the Jerusalem Consulate said, “The refusal has been taken at the highest level in London. It is in line with current immigration policy”.
Rod Cox, the organiser of the tour which would have seen the Palestinians play Chester City, Tranmere Rovers and Blackburn Rovers, as well as undergo an intensive training course and visits to UK community football projects said;
“The decision is incredible. Only a few months ago the Foreign Office was considering funding this scheme under the ‘Engagement with Islam’ programme. They recognised that the positive nature of engaging people in sport both in Palestine and in the UK helps to keep young men out of the hands of the gunmen. But the ‘Engaging with Islam’ programme has been completely terminated, and no grants will be given this year. This tour is supported by the English FA; the professional Footballer’s Association, and was undertaken in Partnership with the University of Chester. Specialist Coaches gave their time freely, and literally hundreds of people have helped.”
He goes on to say, “The tour has support groups in Halifax, Bradford, Leeds, London and Liverpool as well as Blackburn and Chester. Many Muslim Charities also financially support it and I cannot see any other outcome than an alienation of all these people from the British Government as a result. If even I think this looks like a racially motivated decision that helps to maintain Israeli Control over Palestinian Muslims, then I am fairly certain that this is the message that will seep through to Britain’s 2 million Muslims. It is particularly galling that on the 8th September the Israeli National team will be in the UK to play England without needing visas at all.”
The guiding principle of the tour was defined by the words of the American born striker for Palestine Morad Fareed:
“Football is one of the very few institutions that Palestine has to compete, to show our statehood, to be on the world stage”.
The tour’s main purpose was to express this sense of nationhood for Palestine in the UK and was given the title “Palestine - Something to Cheer About”.
Truce International is also offering support. Chairman Nancy Dell’Olio says:
“The tour is a perfect example of disparate cultural groups working together to use the energy and camaraderie of football to positively introduce different cultures to each other. The search for excellence and the focus on improvement gives many children in impoverished circumstances a reason for living, and it definitely works to take children away from violence and guns, things they pick up when they have nothing to do, and all hope taken away from them. This decision of the British Government will be seen in Gaza, where most of the team originate, as siding with the enemy. To refuse a national team admission solely on the grounds that they are too poor and deprived to be trusted to visit the UK will not do Britain any good abroad. The lives of these boys, who have worked so hard to achieve the position they are in, are just being thrown away."
Nancy Dell’Olio will continue to show her support by attending a fund-raising dinner for the absent team at Chester Town Hall on the 1st September. The visit has also attracted support from UK clergy including The Bishop of Chester, top comedians Alexei Sayle, Mark Steel and Jeremy Hardy, and Marcel Khalife, a Unesco appointed 'Artist for Peace' who lives in Texas and performed at a sell-out gig at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in July this year.
The Palestine Football teams have been dogged by a lack of support from those in power; in 2005 the Israelis prevented the Palestinians competing in Football, including detaining players in Gaza during a world cup qualifier. They also prevented the entire team leaving Gaza for an Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore in 2006, and locked the team out for over a month after they competed in Jordan in June this year.
The effects of this British refusal are catastrophic for the organisation. Even if the team were able to come at a different time, it may be impossible to accommodate them, since the principle partner, the University of Chester, will not have the accommodation available in term time, the League teams have needed a very considerable lead time to commit to the matches in a busy schedule, and the coaches, all of whom were giving their time voluntarily, will not be available.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Palestine - Something to Cheer About – The organisers are calling for the general public; especially those concerned with Football, Fair Play and Human Rights to write or phone their MP and send a message to the Foreign office, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH asking for the decision to be reversed and to call for a formal response from the UK government outlining why this situation has arisen.
CONTACTS:
Rod Cox
CAPE - Chester and Palestine Exchanges Ltd
T: + 44 (0) 79210 40817
E: rod@palestinefootba ll.myzen. co.uk
W: www.pledgebank. com/palestinefoo tball / www.palestinefootba ll.myzen. co.uk
John Carmichael
Director - Truce International
T: + 44 (0) 77764 90061
Khaled Abu Zaher
Press Officer - Palestine FA – Arabic only
T: + 97 25994 01370
E: khaled68us@yahoo. com
Andrew Morrison
Communications Officer - University of Chester
T: + 44 (0) 12445 13335
Jane Bateman
Head of International Relations - The FA
T: + 44 (0) 20774 54701 |
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faceless
admin
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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| that's a shame for sure - football does have a great unifying effect, and can also work as a release valve for pressure that might otherwise develop into greater problems (see Celtic v Rangers for example). |
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luke
Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Location: by the sea
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| Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Miliband 'connived with Israel' over Palestinian football ban
"JEWISH socialists sent an open letter to Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Wednesday, accusing the government of "conniving with the Israeli policy of siege and collective punishment" after the visit of a Palestinian football team had to be cancelled because the players and their coaches were denied visas.
The under-19 team had been invited to train at Chester and was due to have played at Chester and Tranmere, followed by a much-anticipated match against a Blackburn Rovers side on the same day that England played Israel at Wembley.
In their letter, besides referring to the difficulties facing Palestinian footballers, the Jewish Socialists' Group (JSG) said that the football tour was a positive initiative that offered hope to young Palestinians and improved international relations.
The letter stated: "It would not only have given these young men a chance to train and play on proper pitches, which they do not enjoy in their own country, but would have given them a break from the isolation and tension surrounding them, particularly in Gaza.
"We know that the Palestinian football stadium in Gaza was destroyed by Israeli action, that sporting facilities are lacking, that youngsters playing football have been targeted and that teams have been prevented from travelling to form a national league, as well as for matches abroad," it went on.
The JSG observed that banning the team will not help Britain's efforts as a peace envoy.
It warned: "This cancellation will be seen by many in the Middle East - and indeed here - as symbolising Britain's unfair bias, rather than the sense of fair play on which British people pride themselves."
It demanded that Mr Miliband gives a full explanation of what happened and assurances that the government will help to facilitate a Palestinian football tour in the near future."
Morning Star |
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