According to Mint Press News, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been waging a systematic and brutal campaign of maiming or imprisoning Palestinian soccer players over the past ten to twelve years. Warning: Some readers will find the testimonials at the bottom link disturbing, including Israeli security personnel viciously setting an attack dog on two grievously wounded Palestinian athletes in Ramallah.
Meanwhile on the other side of the Gaza Strip security checkpoints, an Israeli soccer team is heading to the Olympics for the first time since 1976. Compare the physical fitness and exuberant expressions of the victorious young men below with those of the truncated grim-faced footballers above.
On 16 Apr 2024, the Olympic Torch will be lit in Greece, a precursor to the Paris Summer Olympiad (26 July 2024 to 11 August 2024),* where the international community will proudly display their most talented athletes with hopes of winning gold and glory for their countries. But for Palestine, they will be fortunate enough just to have any of their few athletes, healthy or unhealthy, attend the games because of the Gaza Conflict and other debilitating factors.
The future looks bright and optimistic for one nation’s athletic squad and pitifully abysmal for the other.
Sources:
Goalposts and Gunfire: Israel's Deliberate Attacks on Palestinian Football and Its Players (mintpressnews.com)
Israel’s soccer team going to the Olympics for first time since 1976 – The Forward
*Amid challenging security concerns, the French government requested assistance from 46 countries. Source: www.msn.com/…