Status: 06.12.2022 2:54 p.m
Actually, according to FIFA, political messages are prohibited during the World Cup. And yet many Arab fans wear armbands and banners with Palestinian symbols. This is in line with Qatar’s foreign policy strategy.
Black, white, green with a red triangle – many football fans from the Arab world show up with the flag of the Palestinian territories during the World Cup in Qatar. Their national team did not qualify for the World Cup. The Palestinians ranked 94th out of 211 nations in FIFA’s October rankings.
But in the past few days, the debate about political statements during the World Cup has repeatedly focused on the Palestinian territories. It is striking that the football fans in the stadium are apparently allowed to express their commitment to the Palestinian cause – even though FIFA has banned political statements during the World Cup.
According to FIFA, political symbols are prohibited in the stadiums. Nevertheless, armbands with Palestinian symbols, as seen here in the Canada-Morocco game, are apparently tolerated.
Image: REUTERS
Flag instead of “One Love”
The World Football Association banned all players and actors from wearing the much-discussed “One Love” armband. Several European teams wanted to set an example for diversity, openness and tolerance and to position themselves against homophobia and racism. But fans who enter the stadiums with “One Love” armbands are usually led out of the arena by law enforcement officers.
The Palestinian flag, on the other hand, is tolerated, if not officially, then at least by the law enforcement officers in the stadium. The World Cup host Qatar should be fine with that: the Gulf state has been supporting Hamas in the Gaza Strip for decades. The Palestinian organization is classified as a terrorist organization by several European countries, the USA and Israel, but receives financial aid from Qatar.
Global strategy with many facets
“For Qatar, the commitment in Palestine is also part of its global diplomatic strategy,” says political scientist and Qatar expert Nicolas Fromm from the Helmut Schmidt University of the German Armed Forces. “After all, large sums of money and effort have been invested in dealing with the Middle East conflict since the 1990s. Successful investigations promise a lot of prestige and are therefore looking to be close to all the conflicting parties on the ground.”
In fact, Qatar not only maintains relations with the Palestinians, but also – unofficially – with the Israeli government. For the years 2006 and 2007, Qatar was even elected to the United Nations Security Council with Israel’s votes.
Since the beginning of the World Cup, fans from Israel have been allowed to fly directly to Doha. The emirate often takes pragmatic decisions, although it is known in the Arab world for criticizing the normalization of relations between Arab countries and Israel.
Hostilities towards Israeli journalists
For decades, Arab autocrats have held the Israelis responsible for all the evils in the region and have not shied away from accusations and conspiracy theories. The regime’s propaganda resonates with many people in the region – and is one reason why Israeli journalists are insulted and insulted by Arab fans and prevented from doing their work during the World Cup.
On social media, reporters from Israel describe, among other things, that fans from Arab countries yelled at them in Qatar. Many Arabs appear to be interpreting the presence of Israelis in Qatar as a sign of normalization between the two countries at a time when the Israeli army is cracking down on Palestinians.
Violence in the West Bank has escalated in recent months. After deadly attacks in Israel in March and April, the Israeli army carried out numerous raids. According to the UN, at least 146 Palestinians and 26 Israelis have been killed this year.
The Israeli government’s harsh and much-criticized treatment of the Palestinians means that many people in the Arab world sympathize with the Palestinians. The fact that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has been going on for decades and that no lasting, comprehensive and just solution can be found makes it easier for many Arab autocrats to exploit the conflict for their own purposes.
Commitment as lip service
Many Arab fans are flying the flag of the Palestinian Territories, even though their countries’ political leaders sometimes appear to have closer ties to Tel Aviv than they do to Gaza or Ramallah.
“As a symbol, Palestine practically unites the entire Arab world, but in the reality of day-to-day politics, the unity quickly shows cracks,” says Nicolas Fromm. Little has changed in the difficult living conditions for Palestinians on the ground.
Many Palestinians have repeatedly felt abandoned by the Arab states. In fact, their commitment to the people of the Palestinian Territories often seems like mere lip service.
Away from European demands
In order not to give this impression in the first place, it should be in Qatar’s interest that many fans wave the black, white and green flag. With this, the fans draw attention to themselves – and away from the “One Love” armbands of the Europeans.
Their call for tolerance and openness is a thorn in the side of many Arab autocrats. Because more rights for minorities in Arab societies could permanently undermine the authority of the rulers.