We can be heroes

Tony Magner catches up with three Palestinian internationals

Anyone who was at Dalymount Park on May 15th last, the 76th anniversary of Nakba, experienced a night for the ages, an evening like no other at the 123-year-old venue, a gathering that transcended football and sport. It became an occasion where sport brought people together in a wave of emotion that became a communal celebration of all that is good in the human spirit. For the first time, a Palestinian national team had arrived in Dublin, to play in an International Solidarity Friendly, being met with open arms by the senior Bohs women’s team.

For 25-year-old midfielder and captain Mira Natour from Bethlehem, 27-year-old Bisan Abuaita from Beit Sahour and 21-year-old Jennifer Shatara also from Bethlehem, it was an occasion they will never forget, as important for their people back home as it was for the 20 or so players that made the arduous journey to these shores.

Force of Natour…

“It was a very special visit, very memorable and very reflective and one that’s made one of the most lasting impressions on my heart in my whole life,” says central-midfielder Mira who has been playing with the national team since 2018 as well as Diyar Bethlehem. “I am so proud to have been a part of such an occasion and to have been captain on the day. I cannot put into words my pride at being involved in such a big and tremendous event, especially in the situation we find ourselves in now. It’s very important to me to get to represent my people and do it in such a special place as Ireland and Dalymount Park, well it will stay with me forever. It was so emotional to see the Palestinian flag raised, especially when the crowd unfurled theirs too. It was unbelievable, the first time I’ve ever seen the Palestinian flag in such numbers! And when we heard the ‘Free Palestine’ chants, it was all we could do to not break down in tears.”

“These were amazing moments,” she continues, “and I’ll say it a million times to anyone who will listen; we saw and felt kindness from the Irish when we came over that we’ve not seen in any other country. The Irish have got something very special, maybe it’s because we can feel empathy for the struggle each has gone through and is going through.”

Mira reveals that she and many of the Palestine side have kept in regular contact with their Bohemian counterparts since the game and she longs someday to come back and see Irish compassion, generosity and openness first-hand again. “It was a wonderful thing to see Lisa Murphy and Tiegan Ruddy get their tattoos in solidarity. I really want to go back to Ireland. I’m a qualified doctor and my dream is to do a Sports and Medicine residency in Ireland some time and work with a sports team as their medical doctor. I’m even a member of the Irish Medical Council! It was my parents who wanted me to be a doctor, my dream was always to play sports, so I am looking for a way to blend my dream with theirs! But I promise, regardless of how, I will find a way to return to Ireland someday.”

Sadly, she also confirms that the national team have not been able to continue their weekly training sessions and have not been together since shortly after their return from Dublin to their native land. “National team training is not possible, no,” she laments. “After the trip to Ireland we had a tournament in Bahrain but after that it has not been possible for us all to meet up and train. The situation here has been getting worse. There are movement restrictions and checkpoints and roadblocks that are completely unpredictable. Only last week I tried to go to Ramallah and queued for an hour and a half at the checkpoint, and then without warning they closed it and turned us all away. It is very stressful to be honest. You need permissions to go to other cities, so it has not been possible to meet up as a group. It’s a pity because we have wonderful togetherness and spirit, cemented even more by our experiences in Ireland, and we so wanted to build on it. It has been so frustrating not to have been able to do that.”

She continues, “I live in Bethlehem and to be honest, the I.F. don’t interfere as much here as in other areas. Most of the citizens are Christians and they know the eyes of the world are on Bethlehem. The I.F. do act some nights and deal with things harshly. Being honest, it is dangerous, there is no point in saying otherwise. But we do not have fear because we have right on our side. However, there is no freedom because even when the Jericho and Jordanian checkpoints are open, Israel can close them at any moment.”

Never mind training, it’s difficult for Mira to even see her friends from other parts of Palestine. “Our players come from three main cities, Bethlehem, Ramallah and Nablus and it is not easy. I can’t see anyone in Nablus because it is far too dangerous, it’s a hot spot with many clashes. Ramallah, yes I can see people from there a bit more easily. However, I do still get to play football, but only with my local team Diyar Bethlehem, so at least I have that.”

“It is heartbreaking to live in such times. People ask if I have lost family members in the troubles, but I look at every person in Gaza as my family. When I see people die there, I feel the same as if it were one of my own family. In my heart, one piece is missing when I see the suffering there. I’m a doctor, remember, so I know individual cases. I know about those with heart issues, pregnant women unable to get the medicines they need. We are losing people not always from bombs and fighting but due to a lack of basic medication, people with hypertension or chronic diseases dying of things they shouldn’t be dying from. I think of the cancer patients being denied the simple human right of being relieved of their pain and suffering. They don’t even have painkillers when a cancer is eating away at their body. It weighs very heavily on my heart.”

Nearly five months on, her memories of the trip to Ireland remain as strong as ever and are there to comfort her as times have got tougher and tougher in Palestine. “Ireland welcomed us with open arms and open hearts,” she smiles. “I didn’t even know I was going to be meeting President Higgins! I’ve never met my President here in Palestine so little did I know how easy it was going to be to meet one in another country! It was a big honour to enter his house, and my heart was beating so fast! He talked about his love of sport and his sympathy for the plight of the Palestinian people. I felt I was going to cry, I was pleading with myself, ‘don’t let the tears come with all these cameras’! I was so proud to represent the Palestinian people and to show the world we need and deserve human rights like any other people in the world. It was good to use sport to share our story with the globe, to raise awareness of my people.”

Mira turned 25 on the day of the Bohs game, the perfect way for her to celebrate. “It was the best birthday ever and the girls raised me on their shoulders! We had a wonderful few days, the greatest of my life. This match should open further collaborations between Ireland and Palestine, cultural and educational cooperations, and we want to use it to empower women. In Palestine, women are not always encouraged to play sports and to exercise their passions in this area. But a lot of people have come up to me and the other girls since we came back from Dublin asking how to get their girls playing.”

Ireland recognised the state of Palestine less than a fortnight after the game, on May 28th, another thing that brought great joy to Mira. “It was a special moment. To be honest, people here link this wonderful event with our game! I remember my Mum saying to me on the day Ireland recognised our state, ‘daughter, you and the girls have done a lot for this’!”

The match should have a legacy she feels, that perhaps can be realised in better times for the troubled region.

“It is about building, of course. We are going to prepare for future games, we are determined not to give up on our dreams. Hopefully we will have the chance to host Bohemians too and to show our gratitude. Hopefully the match last May will continue to build stronger ties with Ireland, and maybe open doors for other countries to host us. Already after the Bohemians game, we have invitations from a Norwegian team to host us as well as Atletico Madrid in Spain, Osasuna too. Hopefully it will be the beginning of something, but Ireland and Bohemians opened the first door! Now when I watch the game back on YouTube, I do so with tears in my eyes. I am so full of emotion and Bohemians have really left a lasting impression on our lives. I just want to thank the people of Bohemians and Ireland. Know that you have made a real difference to our lives in so many ways. It is impossible to fully explain how much it means to us all.”

Bisan-ess Class…

Bisan Abuaita is a right winger who has played with the national team since 2021. She plays her club football with her local Beit Sahour club and has equally fond memories of the girl’s trip to Dublin but shares Mira’s angst that she cannot now meet up with her international team-mates.
“No, as Mira has said, we can’t meet up because it is getting harder to move between cities. I live about five minutes from Bethlehem, so I share the same difficulties as Mira. So gathering in one place is very difficult for us. Most of the facilities we use are in hot spots and it is too dangerous for us to be there, and our Football Federation would not take that risk.”

“We have the same checkpoints that Mira mentioned,” she continues. “They are between every city on the West Bank to be honest. The biggest field we used in Alram is right by the wall, so it is surrounded by I.F. We had problems with tear gas before as well as many other issues. Basically, there is no guarantee of safety. For example, if we had a game tomorrow – not something I think I will be able to say for quite a while sadly – we would never be sure of what will happen. We would have to keep an eye on news stations or social media to be aware of roadblocks or checkpoints. It might take me between 90 minutes and three hours to travel what should take about 50 minutes. It’s very sad that we’ve not been able to be together, but we train as well as we can with our clubs, but then again, not every club is actually operating given all the uncertainties and problems. It is difficult for us to have a stable life here. But it’s important that I say this; we had many of these problems before October 7th, they are not new to us. We had checkpoints before then too and I remember on the day of last year’s semi-finals there was tear gas and we couldn’t breathe. We had to go inside and though there was talk of cancelling the game, we were determined to play on and waited for that chance to do so. So there is no guarantee of stability, we’ve always had this uncertainty, not just after the 7th. It’s just the restrictions and checkpoints have got worse and worse since.”

It has been just as frustrating for Bisan not to have been able to build on what was achieved by the trip to play Bohemians and she echoes Mira’s concerns that valuable momentum in the campaign to promote the women’s game in Palestine is being lost.

“In our situation, it is very difficult to have long-term plans, not just in football, but in life,” she says matter-of-factly. “I work for an N.G.O. where we get funding for projects to help those in vulnerable situations. I am a programme coordinator. Sadly, we have a lot of such people in Palestine that need our help. I work for a women’s development programme working with women in vulnerable communities providing psychological support as well as economic aid to help them grow businesses. Palestine can be quite conservative when it comes to girls playing football, Mira is right, especially in rural areas and small villages. But things are getting better. The notion that women can’t or shouldn’t play sports is going and at least before October 7th the women’s game was seeing a big growth in numbers. That’s why it is such an honour for me to represent my country and show young girls that they can play, and they can make strides. I’m 27 now and I don’t know how much longer I can play for, but while I am at this level, I want to help leave a legacy for future generations and show them what is possible.”

The trip to Ireland to face Bohs means every bit as much to Bisan as it does to Mira, and the memories of those few days and the match itself, still bring a tear to her eye.

“It was amazing,” she smiles. “It was the best trip we have ever had. It was very special, the hospitality and welcome shown to us, the empathy and support. We are a proud people, and I love my country, so we prefer not to be pitied, but it is lovely to have felt such empathy from the Irish people. We are fighters, we live our lives as best we can, we work, we get on with things. I don’t necessarily want people to feel bad for us, but the support and empathy rather than pity was very moving and heart-warming. We are very proud of our nationality; I am proud to be Palestinian and would like to live my life here. A lot of people have to leave out of economic necessity as since October 7th work has been scarcer for many. But whoever is able to stay does so and gives of their best out of a love for their country and their people.”

“It is tough,” she admits, “like Mira says there are a lot of problems. Nablus and the north are very dangerous at the moment but even before October the 7th my Mum got so stressed when work took me to that region. Like Mira said about her knowledge as a doctor, as an NGO worker I see a lot of the problems that the media don’t necessarily pick up on in local communities. We are a close people, every person in Palestine is affected by what has been going on. I work with a lot of women whose husbands have no work, and I see the psychological problems this level of stress and hardship brings. So as Mira correctly said, it is not just those affected by bombs and fighting, it’s everyone. We are like one big family. I’ve lost colleagues in Gaza and feel this as I would one of my own family. It is so sad that I can’t meet friends in certain parts of Palestine, and it is heart-breaking when you hear of people who have been killed. It has been going on for a full year now this week, a long, hard year for all Palestinians.”

“But in Ireland we had an amazing time,” she adds with a smile. “Bohemians planned a really interesting programme for us and as an academic person I loved the trip we had to Trinity College. It was lovely to just walk around and see Irish people going about their lives and to have so many people come up to us and express their support and sympathy. It was great, we felt so special, definitely. The game itself was an incredible night. Arriving to the stadium we saw Palestinian flags on every seat, and we just couldn’t believe it. So many people were calling for Palestine and the national anthem was a particularly emotional moment for us all. It is indescribable really, no words can express the pride and emotion we felt… and still feel. I wish I could go back to that day and that moment and how I felt then. A lot of us cried, it was very special.”

“We had heard while at home that Bohemians had been selling tickets and then that it was sold out and again, we couldn’t believe it. We are not used to playing in front of crowds that big and really it was the best night of our lives. After the game too, there was an amazing reaction, and we won’t ever forget it. For us, we were just like, ‘Wow.’ Then the Bohemian players came to us afterwards to help us celebrate and show their support. Even when they scored the opening goal, they held up a home jersey, the Palestine-inspired one, and they raised our flag. It was very touching. After we had come home, Lisa Murphy contacted me about her tattoo, the one that Mira spoke about. She wanted to know how to write Bohemians and Palestine in Arabic. That was an amazing gesture too and makes me and all my team feel so proud.”

She concludes, “As Mira mentioned, Bohemians have opened so many doors for us with all the invitations she listed. We are not able to do it yet, but hopefully one day. It’s about a legacy as I mentioned earlier, showing young girls in Palestine what is possible through sport and inspiring the next generation as well as bringing some joy to my people and recognition in the international community of what we are going through. A lot of people saw the game, football fans and others who had not been interested in the sport, and then two weeks later Ireland recognises Palestine! It is impossible to understate how much Bohemians and that game have done for us and it will always remain one of my fondest life memories.”

The Magnificent Seven…

Completing our trio of heroes in these pages is Jennifer Shatara, a 4th Year medical student who, like Mira, is from Bethlehem and plays for the same Al-Diyar club side. She wore the No.7 shirt on the night, has represented Palestine at u14, u16 and u18 levels and has played for the senior international side since 2018. Casting her mind back to the girls’ visit to Dublin arouses the same levels of emotions as it does for both Mira and Bisan, a source of wonder and pride that has kept her going these past few troubled months when she has been unable to see her teammates.

“This game is the best symbol of the historical solidarity between Ireland and Palestine,” she says. “It was more than a game of course. It was a chance to represent our people and highlight our difficulties to the world as both Mira and Bisan have said. Personally, it was the chance of a lifetime to have an experience like this and to grow as a player and a person. I was so proud to play in this game and to get the opportunity with Mira to go and visit the President of Ireland was a dream come true. He was so friendly and encouraging and spoke such kind words, words that he followed up by attending the game too!”

“As the others have said, Ireland gave us such an amazing, massive welcome and the crowd on the night really showed us how Ireland stands with Palestine. Even though the Bohs girls lost the game, they and the crowd were so happy for us and celebrated so willingly with us. As Mira said, I too have never seen so many Palestine flags flying at the same time in the same place! Stepping out onto that pitch and seeing the support for us and the genuine warmth and passion, it is a feeling I’ve never had before. Hearing all the songs and chanting, it was like we felt we were at home. The scenes after the game are among the best memories of my life and to this day, I still speak to my parents about it! The girls too when we returned from Ireland, we just couldn’t stop talking about it. It was an occasion that is about much more than football only.”

Jennifer agrees with her two teammates that not being able to train since their return from Bahrain amid growing tensions and difficulties, has been difficult and frustrating. She outlines the dangers that she and the rest of the Palestinian people face on a daily basis.

“Mira and Bisan are right, the roads are too dangerous, travelling between cities is just too hard. Everything is dangerous to be honest and it seems to be getting worse. Living a normal, routine life is impossible for us. Only a few days ago, I was driving at night near the wall. From out of nowhere soldiers shone white light into my windscreen telling me to stop. But I was going too quickly so I couldn’t do it immediately. They thought I was being aggressive and trying to ram them or something. When I did get the car to stop, they had guns drawn and pointed at me. I got a terrible fright and turned around as quickly as I could before they might shoot. And Bethlehem is not even as dangerous as places like Nablus. I can’t go to college at the moment as there are checkpoints along the way and roads close without notice. People from all over Palestine cannot come, so all our lectures are online, I can’t even see my friends. It is such a pity, and I miss them and all my team-mates who came with me to Dublin as well. I can’t go wherever I want to go so it is hard not to feel isolated. I can’t go to Jerusalem or the beach or whatever people my age might normally do. They close checkpoints wherever they want as Mira has said and we can’t go to training like we used to in Jericho or wherever.”

Jennifer smiles when I mention the Bohs girls and the close ties they forged having shared such a special experience. “I follow them on Instagram and always see their stories like they see mine! I saw when they got their tattoo, and we all shared the pictures in our WhatsApp group and again talked about how much the game means and how much it has helped us spread our message. Just so everyone in Ireland knows, everyone in our team is okay since our trip as I understand people might be wondering how we are. Of course we are sad and frustrated at what is going on. My people are suffering, and nobody seems willing or able to end what is happening. We just want all of this to stop and to be able to live in peace.”

If you were ever wondering what real bravery is, what real heroism is, then you only have to read these three girls’ stories; stories of such grace, humility and genuine gratitude. Three early morning calls to Bethlehem only tells the tip of that tale. But every little helps to get their message across.

They can be heroes? But not just for one day. Three athletes who love to play football, three friends who want the pleasure of each other’s company back, to be able to laugh together and cry and smile and hug. Three girls who want to live in peace. What can be purer or more heroic than that?

The Home Perspective
With Ken Ken Kiernan, Senior Women’s Manager

When I first took the role with Bohemians, little did I think that a couple of months into the season we’d be playing the Palestinian National Womens team in a sold out Dalymount on what would become an unbelievably special occasion for the Irish public, the Palestinian public and the two teams involved. Immediately, our new players took Bohemians to their hearts and saw very quickly what the club’s values stood for, what their club volunteers stood for and what the club is about. It’s about football, yes, but it’s about so much more than just that.
When I got the call from Daniel about the game, I was taken aback, nervous, excited. I was thinking, ‘How do you prepare for this?’ How do you deal with the lead up?’ But very quickly we enjoyed the opportunity to connect with the Palestinian girls and support them in everything they and their people were going through. It was a huge honour to meet the President and his wife with the Palestinian delegates, captain and vice-captain and of course our own girls.

For years to come we will remember the game as one of the best sporting occasions we’ve ever been involved in, a moment in time where all Bohemians and many from much further afield will remember where they were. You think of a great Irish Olympian winning a medal or whatever county you’re form winning an All-Ireland, our WNT winning in Scotland to get to a World Cup, Dave O’Leary’s penalty in the World Cup, and I’d put this right up there with any of them in terms of proud moments in Irish sport, indeed in Irish life.

The occasion itself was filled with a couple of very poignant moments for me personally. Standing in the dug-out looking at St. Peter’s Church over the Jodi is always an unbelievable honour for me no matter what team we’re playing, but on that night to see the stands full, the flags, the songs and then to hear the two anthems sung, it was spine-tingling. Incredible. That moment really stood out for me on the evening. Then Charlotte Phillips spoke to Aisling O’Reilly from ‘Off The Ball’ about her grandparents living through the Nakba and surviving that. I think her line was ‘This is proof of our existence.’ Then shortly after that she took my own daughter into her arms and took pictures with both my daughters and her teammates and some of the Bohs underage players. Another incredible moment, one of so many.

Not to forget the drama of the game too. The match was played properly and competitively which added to the spectacle on the evening, with two teams honoured to represent their club and country and who wanted to win the game. But the celebrations afterwards were unbelievable. Mira, Palestine’s amazing captain, was an incredible person just to get to know. I spent a bit of time with them when they were training and I’ve become quite close with Ahmed, their strength and conditioning coach who I’ve stayed in touch with. Ahmed has a young family, two young daughters. He is working with the underage teams and the men’s futsal and they are still going through difficult times. I know our girls have stayed in touch with some of the Palestinian girls too. There have been solidarity tattoos! Tiegan and Lisa and Medbh Ryan. Friendships have been formed that will last a lifetime. There are so many people we’ll always stay in touch with and have taken into our hearts.

I have often watched the game back and the documentary that went with it. The time and effort put in by so many in Bohemians to put that film together is just amazing. Looking back at the recording of the game, listening to Tony Magner and Seana Cooke commentating on the event, it was just a wonderful night. Every moment was captured so well by the two of them. An incredible story, a beautiful event from beginning to end.

All those little moments are priceless. Every time I think back on this wonderful, special time I am filled with emotion and pride at the privilege it is to have been involved in such an outpouring of love and solidarity with the Palestinian people. It’s a night none of us will ever, ever forget.