Freedom of football: Palestinian teenagers spread their wings on seven-week European tour

Under-14 team from West Bank city of Tulkarm on trip of a lifetime have 'message for the world' as their refugee camps are being dismantled

An Israeli army bulldozer clears rubble and debris along a destroyed road earlier this month as part of a four-month operation at the Tulkarm refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. AFP

As Israeli bulldozers level homes in the city's refugee camps, a group of young footballers from Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank are stepping away from the destruction on to a different stage.

Rawahel Charity Association's Under-14 boys have embarked on a 46-day tour of Europe that takes in France, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. They have arrived in Paris for a training camp to prepare for more than 25 matches across three Scandinavian tournaments.

Their ambition on the pitch is to win silverware. Their mission off it is to deliver a message of hope and peace to the world. A sporting adventure offering respite from everyday life, the trip is also putting ambassadorial responsibilities on young shoulders.

Rawahel Charity Association's under-14 boys arrive in Paris to start a 46-day European tour that will include three tournaments in Scandinavia. Photo: Rawahel Charity Association

These 14 teenagers are under the spotlight as they represent their country abroad during what is a distressing and dangerous time at home.

At next month's Gothia Cup in Sweden, the world’s largest youth football tournament, they will be one of nearly 2,000 teams from more than 75 nations competing across eight age groups. The only team flying their nation's flag, they'll do the same in subsequent weeks at Dana Cup in Denmark and the Norway Cup in Oslo.

“Representing Palestine in international tournaments is both an honour and a source of great pride,” Ahmad Naalweh, the coach and club chairman leading the trip, told The National.

“It is our duty to raise the name and flag of Palestine high, letting it fly proudly in the skies of Europe and before the eyes of the world.”

The squad have kicked things off by swapping the adversity of Tulkarm for the elegance of Paris, but they had to navigate security challenges in the West Bank and the impact of flight cancellations to get there.

Before departure they faced “immense stress due to the escalating situation in Palestine”. The closure of cities and major roads put the trip at risk.

The group’s original flight from Amman to Paris was then cancelled due to intensified missile exchanges between Iran and Israel. That meant rebooking for one day earlier than planned at twice the original price.

“Our anxiety increased due to the uncertainty of reaching Jordan on time, with a significant number of military checkpoints in place and the risk of sudden border closures,” Naalweh adds.

His squad come from a place where checkpoints and occupation shape daily life. The 1949 armistice line, or Green Line, is all that separates Tulkarm from Israel. In recent years the city and its suburbs have been squeezed, losing land and water resources to expanding, illegal Israeli settlements.

The city has a population of about 64,000. Its refugee camp to the north was home to another 21,000 people before Israel launched an operation in late January to clear large parts of it.

Israeli soldiers keep watch as Palestinians leave their homes during a raid by the army in the Nour Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm in February. AFP

Israeli army soldiers survey the rubble during a raid at the Tulkarm camp for Palestinian refugees earlier this month. AFP

Once home to more than 13,000 Palestinians, the Nour Shams refugee camp to the east of Tulkarm is also nearing destruction. Blockades of both camps have been maintained and the Israeli military presence and number of checkpoints has grown.

“Life in Tulkarm this year has been extremely difficult,” Naalweh explains. “More than 25,000 people have been displaced from their homes and more than 200 houses have been demolished.”

In the shadow of such destruction, a football trip might seem insignificant. But for the Tulkarm teenagers who have arrived in Paris, this excursion means everything. “Unforgettable" is how Naalweh describes it.

“The children will meet new friends from all over the world, gain new experiences and insights into European football," he says.

“We have tried our best to prepare, despite the limited resources and the difficult circumstances we are living through. Our goal is to win titles and achieve outstanding results, just as we did last year.”

Last year Rawahel won the silver trophy at Dana Cup and the bronze trophy at the Norway Cup. Aspirations are higher this year, with the addition of a training camp suggesting that no stone is being left unturned. Three of last year's squad are back again. The other 11 players are taking the new experience in their stride.

The squad are due to return to Tulkarm on August 9. What they will come back to is anyone’s guess. But they will be in safe hands until then.

Rawahel Charity Association, a non-profit organisation, has supported and trained about 2,500 young players in the Tulkarm area since forming in 2016. Many of them have been on foreign tours. Travel opportunities are one of organisation's main objectives.

There are children in Palestine with talent, dreams and a love for life and football. They want to live in peace, far from the horrors of war

Ahmad Naalweh

Today, the club has more than 450 registered children. Some live in the refugee camps where shelters are cramped and open areas for play hard to find. The association finds solutions, thriving in the adversity of life under occupation to make football a purpose.

It's that purpose that has driven these 14 boys to secure a place on this summer's trip, allowing them to trade the rubble and restrictions of home for green fields and open skies.

“We strive to make Palestinian children feel like any other children around the world,” says Naalweh, who believes sport can be a bridge between cultures and people.

“We want them to showcase their talent to the world and live an experience that will remain etched in their memories for a lifetime.”

Naalweh is asking his team to express themselves on the pitch, enjoy the taste of freedom and return home with an idea of what life beyond occupation might look like.

“We want to send a clear and heartfelt message to the world,” he says. “There are children in Palestine with talent, dreams and a love for life and football.

"They want to live in peace, far from the horrors of war. Just like children everywhere else.”