The Controversy is Not About Palestino’s Jersey

Original article: El problema no es la camiseta de Palestino

By Xavier Abu Eid, Political Scientist, Master’s in Diplomacy, and Doctor in Theology, Religion, and Peace Studies

The Israeli ambassador to Chile, representing a government led by Benjamin Netanyahu—a fugitive from international justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity—claims that the new jersey of Club Deportivo Palestino represents a «point of exclusion.»

He is simply doing his job, as his own parliament has criminalized the Palestinian flag. However, the assertion that a shirt from one of Chile’s oldest clubs «affects dialogue» only highlights the historical narrative of victimization championed by Israeli diplomacy.

Palestino professionalized in 1952 as a way to keep the name of Palestine alive following the ethnic cleansing during the Nakba of 1948.

As with all other aspects of Palestinian society, football was also impacted, with many teams disappearing and players going into exile. In 1955, when Roberto Coll led Palestino to win the Chilean championship, the Israeli Football Federation did everything possible to thwart the Palestinian Federation’s efforts to gain membership, which at the time was based in Gaza.

In 1965, while Palestino showcased goalkeeper Juan Carlos Moreno and forward Orlando Ramírez, the Israeli Federation firmly objected to allowing a district named Gaza as a FIFA member, declaring, «There is no country called Palestine.»

As Elías Figueroa secured Palestine’s second title in 1978 at the National Stadium, Israel was bombing Palestinian playing fields in southern Lebanon, and in 1982, as Rodolfo Dubó saved Palestino from relegation against Cobresal in the Promotion League, Israel bombed Palestinian sports federations located in Beirut.

This dynamic persisted for decades: while Israel stifled the growth of Palestinian football, Palestino kept the name of Palestine alive in Chile and in freedom.

Israel’s opposition to Palestinian sports, demonstrated by the destruction of football stadiums during the genocide in Gaza, relates closely to the message of existence that it conveys.

Palestine was close to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, with hundreds of thousands following the results from tents in Gaza. This message of resilience is also embodied by Club Deportivo Palestino. This, not to mention the affection that the football community in Chile has for Palestino, which I have personally experienced both as a fan and as a player in its youth divisions.

Most importantly, we must reflect on the facts: the Israeli ambassador represents a state that legally opposes the recognition of Palestine and the end of its illegal occupation; a system denounced by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, among others, that is sustained by an institutionalized regime of discrimination, where Palestinian citizens of Israel defending the Palestinian national team have faced hate incitement from Benjamin Netanyahu’s own cabinet.

Furthermore, the Israeli Federation has recently been sanctioned by FIFA for the racism observed in its stadiums, where it is not uncommon to hear chants like «we will burn your village» and «death to the Arabs.» This penalty is quite minimal compared to the charges related to the inclusion of Israeli colonial teams in Palestine and the incitement to genocide.

Just this week, Israeli sports media praised images of Menashe Zalka, captain of the Israeli Premier League team Hapoel Hadera, throwing a grenade and celebrating his military activity as part of the occupation forces in Lebanon. Is this how football is used to promote dialogue?

Palestino’s jersey reflects the resilience of a nation that, against all odds, refuses to disappear. When the representative of a government that denies the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, disregards the two-state solution, systematically violates its obligations as a UN member, and promotes legislation that calls for death and not life, dares to attack a team like Palestino, the last thing we should be asking for is a call for sanity.

The best call for dialogue starts with ending the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, as has been clearly established by the International Court of Justice.

Xavier Abu Eid is a political scientist, holds a master’s in diplomacy, and a PhD in theology, religion, and peace studies from Trinity College Dublin. He served as an advisor to the negotiating team of the PLO and the Palestinian Football Federation. He was also a youth player for Club Deportivo Palestino.