Rivalry Is Renewed for Soccer Final in West Bank as Restrictions Are Eased
HEBRON, West Bank — As a member of the Palestinian national soccer team, Alaa Attiyah has traveled the world, playing in more than 20 countries, including Nepal, China, Iran and Norway.
But for years, Mr. Attiyah, a 24-year-old who also plays for the leading club team in Gaza, had been unable to make the journey of a few dozen miles to the West Bank.
Israel has restricted travel in and out of Gaza since the outbreak of the intifada in 2001, as officials sought to prevent attackers from reaching Israeli-controlled areas. For Mr. Attiyah, this has meant declining offers to play for leading clubs here, and has prevented him from representing the national team in games played in the West Bank. He said he has tried more than a dozen times to obtain permission to cross Israel and enter the West Bank, without luck.
“As a soccer player, I don’t know why I’m considered dangerous,” Mr. Attiyah said.
But on Friday night, Mr. Attiyah and his team, Ittihad Shejaiya, were allowed to come to the West Bank to play in the final of the Palestine Cup, the first time the competition between the best teams from Gaza and the West Bank had been played in 15 years.
Source: www.nytimes.com