The Palestinian women’s football team arrived in Dublin yesterday, May 12, ahead of their historic friendly match against the Bohemians set to take place on Wednesday.

Earlier in March, Bohemian Football Club confirmed that its women’s team will play Palestine in a historic friendly match in Dalymount Park. The match is set to take place on Wednesday, May 15, marking the 76th anniversary of Al Nakba, translated to “The Catastrophe”, which refers to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians during the 1948 war.

All money raised from the event will be used to facilitate the visit of the Palestinian team, as well as provide funds to support humanitarian relief efforts and charity partners such as Palestine Sport for Life, Medical Aid for Palestinians and Aclaí Palestine. The game adds to Bohemian’s continued support of Palestine, which has been demonstrated through film and match screenings, fan displays, and funds raised for Sport for Life through sales of its 2023 away jersey.

Arriving at Dublin airport yesterday, the Palestinian football team and its delegation were warmly welcomed by supporters. Speaking to reporters at the airport, player Busan Abuaita said: “Every time we play for the national team and hear our anthem it’s an amazing feeling, to represent not just our country but Palestinian women.

 

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“This game is more special for us as we are going to a country that shows so much solidarity to the Palestinian people, we are doing this to play a game but also to support Gaza and all Palestinian people.

“We do appreciate the invitation, we are not always able to travel because of our jobs and visas and other issues but we have done all we can to be present in Dublin at this event, people there to support us when we are playing the game we love. It’s one way of fighting, we fight on the field, our presence is a message that we are still here as a people,” Abuaita added.

Echoing these words, the Palestinian ambassador to Ireland said: “There is no better way to commemorate the Nakba than by having our national team come to one of the few countries in Europe that is constant and consistent in its solidarity with our just cause. Thank you, Ireland, thank you to the Irish people, and thank you Bohemian FC.”

 

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President of Bohemian FC, Matt Devany, spoke about the event, saying that he hopes it will raise a substantial sum to assist the plight of people in a “dire situation”.

Over 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the months since Israel launched its genocidal military offensive in the Gaza Strip following the Hamas attack on October 7, last year. Many more people had to flee their homes to avoid being killed in the airstrikes, with estimates showing that 90% of the population in the Strip has been displaced.

Yesterday, May 12, Israel launched new strikes on Gaza, with enclave tanks and troops pushing across a highway into Rafa, a small city where many Palestinians fled after Israel ordered civilians in the Strip to evacuate south. It is now estimated that 1.5 million people are living there, with many living in tent camps and makeshift shelters after fleeing the bombardments.

The United Nations warned that an outright invasion of the city would amount to an “epic” disaster. Despite this, Israel defied international opposition by issuing an evacuation order to the Palestinians now living there and already entered certain areas of the city, thus blocking a key aid crossing to the region.

Tickets to the Dublin match between the Palestinian women’s football team and the Bohemians are still available here. However, if you can’t make it to the event but would still like to contribute, there’s a possibility to pick up non-attendance tickets where all proceeds will go to the designated charities.