In the Middle East, it happens infrequently for the people’s voice to be heard above the governments’. But the joy and pride of Moroccan fans over their country’s unexpected World Cup wins have temporarily covered up the many political differences in the area.
Even though Morocco’s government is making peace with Israel as part of the 2020 Abraham Accords, the team’s love for the Palestinians is the most obvious thing.
After defeating Spain last week, the Moroccan team excitedly displayed a Palestinian flag. The Palestinian flag has been flown everywhere during the tournament by both Arab and non-Arab supporters, to the point where the inside joke is that Palestine is the World Cup’s 33rd team.
The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan also made peace with Israel. The Palestinians see this as proof that the Arab public still strongly supports their cause, even though they think Arab governments have given up on them.
“This was unexpected. spreading the word and demonstrating that the Palestinian situation is both a human and a political issue “is to e e e domie cock the Palestinian flag on his back.”
Yasmeen Hossam, his Egyptian companion, proclaimed, “This is the first World Cup in the Middle East and the first one for the Middle East,” while draped in a Moroccan flag.
Morocco, which will face France in the World Cup semifinal on Wednesday, is the first Arab and African nation to advance this far. Simply having something to celebrate in a region where many nations are embroiled in economic crises, violent conflicts, and political persecution has contributed to some of the Arabs’ acceptance of the team.
Some people enjoy seeing their culture represented in a positive way on a big international stage, like when the Moroccan team does a quick Muslim prayer during huddles or when Morocco winger Soufiane Boufal dances with his mother on the field after beating Portugal in the quarterfinals.
Danny Hajjar, a Lebanese American music critic, remarked, “We are all holding to this Moroccan squad as some type of source of optimism and happiness in a time where I think we all could really use some good news.”
The joy felt after each triumph has transcended geographic boundaries and ideological differences.
Despite the fact that their government severed ties with Morocco last year, Algerians took part. The Western Sahara dispute between the two nations dates back decades. Morocco acquired the territory in 1975, while Algeria has supported the Sahrawis in the Polisario Front’s bid for independence. The United States’ acknowledgment of Moroccan sovereignty over the region in exchange for normalizing relations with Israel infuriated Algeria.
Social media videos showed fans lining up on both sides of the frequently violent border between Morocco and Algeria, cheering for one another across no-man’s land.Man’s Diaspora Algerians and Tunisians gathered with Moroccans in Nice, France, to watch the matches in cafes and in one another’s homes while lighting off fireworks on the Promenade des Anglais, a famous boardwalk along the Mediterranean.
Morocco’s victories, in contrast, have not even been mentioned on Algeria’s official television, keeping them out of the daily World Cup bulletins.
The games have been a breath of fresh air for Palestinians. A far-right Israeli government is about to take office; the peace process with Israel has languished in a jar on a shelf for a long time; and tensions have risen recently as a result of several deadly Palestinian attacks in Israel, frequent Israeli raids in the West Bank, and rising settler harassment.
In addition to the Abraham Accords, Arab nations like Egypt and Jordan have mostly kept quiet about the future of the Palestinian people while stepping up their cooperation with Israel. This has led a lot of Palestinians to think that Arab governments haven’t cared about them.
Qatar, which is hosting the World Cup, has been a strong supporter of Palestinians and has helped the Gaza Strip, which is run by the terrorist group Hamas and has been cut off by Egypt and Israel for years.
Soccer coach Ahmed Abu Suleiman from the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City said he is delighted to see so many supporters of the Palestinian flag in Doha.
“The people don’t change, but the regimes do. “They think about the Palestinian problem, the Palestinian suffering,” he added.
To watch the Morocco vs. Portugal game, a big screen sponsored by Qatar was placed in a crowded sports arena in Gaza City. Many carried posters with the phrase “One People, One Country” and images of the Palestinian and Moroccan flags.
“The sensation is indescribable. I swear it sounded like Palestinians were performing. “Ibrahim al-Lilli, a fan, said as much. “We are all Moroccan.”
After the victory, scenes of celebration could be seen all throughout the West Bank. In east Jerusalem, hundreds of people clapped and yelled, “God, Morocco, Jerusalem is Arab,” as two men stood atop the Damascus gate of the Old City, waving a red Moroccan flag.
Thousands of Jews of Moroccan heritage live in Israel, where the Moroccan victory was also widely celebrated. Many Israelis supported the team, including those who were present in Doha.
Many Israelis of Moroccan descent still feel deeply connected to their ancestors, according to Avi Nachmani, spokesman for the World Federation of Moroccan Jews, which has its headquarters in Israel. He stated that the team’s success “certainly adds to the affinity.”
He claimed that watching images of players having fun with their mothers made him think of how Moroccan Jews revere their parents. “They keep in mind their origins,” he remarked.
However, displays of the Palestinian flag frightened several people. Although it is not specifically forbidden, authorities in Israel and east Jerusalem reacted immediately to remove any displays of the flag.
Israeli-Moroccan Rudy Rochman claimed to have a bond with the Moroccan team. The raising of the Palestinian flag, however, he described as “deliberately insulting to Israel.”
On social media, several claimed that Arab support for Morocco erases the country’s sizeable ethnic Berber population, which is just as important—if not more—to the identity of the nation. Others claimed that the applause obscured Morocco’s control over the Western Sahara and the discrimination experienced by many Sahrawis.
The most challenging country may be Lebanon, where sectarian differences permeate soccer allegiances. While the majority of Lebanese support Brazil or Germany, many have adopted Morocco and celebrated in the streets when they defeated Portugal.
The France semifinal is more contentious. A large portion of the Arab world sees this as an opportunity for a former colony to get revenge on its former colonizer. However, some Lebanese, particularly Christians, feel a cultural attachment towards France.
After Portugal’s victory, fighting broke out in Beirut after a group of Moroccan supporters went into a Christian suburb on motorcycles while others were waving Palestinian flags and yelling “God is the greatest.” A group of males from the area who perceived the convoy as a sectarian provocateur approached them.
The music critic Hajjar said he wouldn’t be shocked if there was more street unrest surrounding the semifinal, given the history of differences and the 15-year civil war. He did, however, add that he “hopes that we can all simply enjoy the match for what it will be.”
