{"id":154644,"date":"2022-12-11T12:54:59","date_gmt":"2022-12-11T12:54:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/god-preserve-this-score-palestinians-revel-in-moroccos-world-cup-backing-world-cup-2022\/"},"modified":"2022-12-11T12:54:59","modified_gmt":"2022-12-11T12:54:59","slug":"god-preserve-this-score-palestinians-revel-in-moroccos-world-cup-backing-world-cup-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/god-preserve-this-score-palestinians-revel-in-moroccos-world-cup-backing-world-cup-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"‘God preserve this score!’ Palestinians revel in Morocco’s World Cup backing | World Cup 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
The stands at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha may have been half empty when the World Cup quarter final between Morocco and Portugal began, but the bars, cafes and streets of Ramallah were already packed.<\/p>\n
At a restaurant in the city centre, Palestinians from all walks of life gathered to watch the first Arab team to ever make it to the last stages of the tournament. Over fruit juice, beer and shisha the atmosphere got steadily rowdier as Portugal struggled. Morocco scored just before half-time and the crowd erupted, men cheering and women ululating.<\/p>\n
Professional Arab commentators didn’t even pretend to be objective. \u201cMay God preserve this score!\u201d one Palestinian radio host said. A beIN Sports journalist called one Morocco near-miss a \u201cwar crime\u201d.<\/p>\n
After an already terrific run in which the north African nation reached the quarter finals, the Atlas Lions reached new heights on Saturday by defeating another of Europe’s best teams.<\/p>\n
In a tournament full of surprising underdog wins, Morocco have just delivered one of the biggest upsets yet. Their journey to the semi-finals is not just viewed as a national victory, but one for Africa and the entire Arab world, and in particular a boon for Palestinians. As after other matches, instead of posing for photographs with their own red flag with a five-pointed green star, the Atlas Lions unfurled a Palestinian flag, using their time on the world stage to highlight the Palestinian cause.<\/p>\n
In Ramallah’s Arafat Square, thousands of people danced or handed out sweets when the final whistle blew, while car horns blared and fireworks and celebratory gunfire rattled through the night. The scene was repeated in towns and villages across the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n