A follow-up second match between the top football teams of Gaza and the West Bank has been postponed indefinitely due Israeli travel restrictions.
On Thursday, Shejaia club from Gaza played its first match in 15 years against the West Bank's Al-Ahly team in the first round of the Palestine Cup final. The two teams were slated to play the second round Sunday but were forced to postpone the game when Israel denied entry permits to four Gaza players.
“It became clear seven people, including four players, were not on the list and therefore, the entire mission can’t leave Gaza without them,” Ala Shammaly of the Shejaia media office said, according to Reuters.
Due to the ongoing occupation of Palestine, freedom of movement for Palestinians is tightly restricted by the Israel government. In order for residents of Gaza to travel to the West Bank they must travel through 60 kilometers of territory controlled by Israel.
The Palestinian tournament was hailed as a historic and symbolic moment for the divided Palestinian populations, as Gaza and the West Bank are controlled by differing political factions. Thus the tournament was seen as step toward greater unity between the two populations.
As the Palestinian teams have already defeated the other competitors within their respective territories, the winner of this match would have gone on to represent Palestine in international competitions.
Israel has long restricted the travel of Palestinian football teams. Last Thursday's game was almost canceled as well, when Israel attempted to restrict the West Bank team from entering Gaza.
When it comes to international tournaments like the World Cup, Palestine is often forced to be largely represented by players from the Palestinian diaspora, as its local players face extreme difficulties obtaining visas. Palestinian football players have also faced arrest at Israeli hands.
Palestinian football officials plan to appeal to FIFA for support in current conflict. In May, Palestine also called for a vote to suspend Israel from FIFA membership, however Palestine backed down and FIFA promised to send observers to monitor the ongoing tensions.