By Dalya Al Masri, CNNUpdated 1624 GMT (0024 HKT) February 23, 2023(CNN)The Palestinian team has never taken part in a World Cup tournament, but the territory's presence was very much in evidence at Qatar 2022.
Fans interrupted press interviews shouting «free Palestine,» while some Moroccan players held up the Palestinian flag after their historic quarterfinal win against Portugal, making the Atlas Lions the first African and Arab team to reach the semifinals.The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a constant source of tension in the Middle East since the State of Israel's creation in 1948, only made more tense after Israel's capture of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem in 1967.
Since the State of Israel's creation — in what Palestinians call the «Nakba» and Israelis call Independence Day — clashes have been frequent.
Rami Hamadeh plays for the Palestianian national team against Jordan at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, AFC Asian Cup. «Nakba» means catastrophe in Arabic, evoking a period which saw approximately 700,000 Palestinians flee or be forced to leave their homes in what became Israel.Read More«The Israeli occupation doesn't just affect me, but affects… Palestinian sports in general,» the Palestinian team's goalkeeper Rami Hamadeh told CNN Sports. «Whether it's players being arrested or killed.