Palestinian national team on ‘mission’ for peace in Spain visit

BILBAO, Spain: On a “mission” in Spain, Palestinian national team coach Ehab Abu Jazar and his players will play symbolic friendlies against the Basque Country and Catalan national teams in the hopes of working toward safety and freedom for their people.
Dressed in a black tracksuit, whistle in mouth, Palestinian coach Abu Jazar leads the team’s training session with authority at Lezama, Athletic Bilbao’s training ground on Friday.
On one of the pitches offered by the top-flight club he tries to prepare his players as best he can for what will be much more than just a match at the grand San Mames stadium, in front of 50,000 spectators supporting the Palestinian cause on Saturday.
As seen during the pro-Palestinian protests that heavily affected cycling’s Vuelta a Espana Grand Tour this summer, there is heavy support for them in the region as they play their first match in Europe.
They are 98th in the FIFA rankings, and their dream of playing in their first World Cup vanished this summer in the third round of the Asian qualifiers.
Abu Jazar has lost many family members to the Israel-Hamas war and some of his relatives are still at risk, a situation always present in his thoughts.
“I am from the Gaza Strip, from a large family in the Gaza Strip. We have almost 200 martyrs from the family.

My own house was destroyed in this war,” he tells AFP.
“My relatives, my mother until today is still living in a tent along with my brothers, my sisters, my cousins, my neighbors, my friends, and all of Gaza. So, emotionally and psychologically, it is extremely difficult.”
Most of his players have never set foot in Gaza.