Bohemian FC, a 132-year-old football club based in Dublin, has released a new white shirt to help create awareness about human rights violations in Palestine by Israel, and to raise funds for children in Tulkarm refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The shirt features the Palestinian colours in a repetitive pattern across the front and back, as well as a dove icon below the collar. Ten percent of the profits from the jersey will provide sports equipment to the Palestine Sport for Life project in Tulkarm.
The Tulkarm camp was established in 1950 and is one of the most densely populated refugee camps in the occupied West Bank, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). It was severely affected during the second Intifada by Israeli incursions, arrests, raids and curfews. Funds raised from this initiative will go towards a Palestine-based sports NGO working on “empowering girls, especially in marginalised areas, in their right to play football and to develop their life skills”.
Ireland has a long history of supporting the Palestinian cause. It was the first member of the European community to recognise the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1980, with others following a few months later, and became a stalwart advocate for the two-state solution, hosting and meeting with PLO leader Yasser Arafat on several occasions. Though Ireland has never broken with European Union foreign policy and still officially supports the two-state solution set out in the Oslo Accords, leaders from across the Irish political spectrum have sharply criticised Israel’s settlement policy, breaches of human rights, and undermining of the peace process.
The Palestinian cause has also been long supported by Scottish football club Celtic, whose fans fly the Palestinian flags and sing songs in support at every home match. Last year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar also saw widespread support for Palestine from Muslim football players, as well as fans from across the world. Players of the Moroccan football team posed with the flag after each win, while football fans from across the Muslim world sported armbands, kaffiyehs, and scarves in Palestinian colours.
Irish top-flight football club Bohemian FC has taken a stand for the Palestinian cause by releasing a new football kit to create awareness about human rights violations in Palestine by Israel, and to raise funds for children in Tulkarm refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The white shirt features the Palestinian colours in a repetitive pattern across the front and back, as well as a dove icon below the collar. Ten percent of the profits from sales of the jersey will provide sports equipment to the Palestine Sport for Life project in Tulkarm.
Ireland has long been an advocate for the Palestinian cause, being the first member of the European community to recognise the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1980. Irish leaders have also been vocal in their criticism of Israel’s settlement policy, breaches of human rights, and undermining of the peace process. Scottish football club Celtic has also been a strong supporter of Palestine, with fans flying Palestinian flags and singing songs at every home match. Last year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar saw further support for Palestine from Muslim football players and fans from around the world.
Bohemian FC’s initiative is an important step towards raising awareness about human rights violations in Palestine and providing aid to those affected by them. The funds raised from this initiative will go towards empowering girls and developing their life skills through sports. It is hoped that this initiative will inspire other clubs to take similar steps and help bring about positive change in Palestine.