A recent discussion on YouTube about the politics of Chile’s CD (Sports Club) Palestino. The Sports Club Palestino is almost totally unknown in America, but is a major force in South America.
This blog has been reporting on CD Palestino (Sports Club Palestino) in Chile for eight years. It is a major force in South American sports, and is a major political issue in both Chile and the Mideast.
If you would like to read the article being discussed, it can be found (here).
More on the Centennial of the Palestino Soccer Club in Chile.
Some Israelis try to deny the existence of a Palestinian identity/nationality.
How do they explain that this club was started in 1920 by immigrants and the sons of immigrants to Chile?
I am actually in favor of Israel, but to deny the existence of a Palestinian people is not helpful. The reason the conflict is so vicious is precisely because a Palestinian people do exist.
Felicitations to [Sports Club] Palestino upon 100 years from its foundation, the celebration of 100 years of historic sport, compromising an identity representing our people in the diaspora.
We are a singular people with teams that have the same name and flag.
My regards, though you, to all the family of Palestine, the Palestinian community of Chile, Latin America, and the rest of the world. We are very proud of your achievements at the national and international level. We hope that soon you will be able to play in Holy Jerusalem, the capital of the state of Palestine, and that you will continue to bring joy and pride to our people.
Mohammed Abbas
President of the State of Palestine
The opinions of the letter belong to President Abbas, and are not mine.
Whether or not you think that Palestinians are a real people or an “invented” one, they obviously consider themselves a nationality — and so do Palestinian-Chileans.
Mohammed Abbas, the dictator of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, sent a letter of congratulation to CD (Club Deportivo/Sports Club) Palestino on the occasion of their 100th anniversary.
CD Palestino has an international following, not only in Chile, but also in the Mideast. They are a phenomenom.
This is a big deal among Palestinians in Chile and Latin America, especially Chile.
PS: You can use the Settings (the gear) to get English translations.
The video does have an auto translate option under settings, though it is hard to set properly.
This a short intro to the La Cisterna (a suburb of Santiago) Municipal Stadium in Chile. As one notices, the stadium is bedecked with the effects of Palestinian resistance: Palestinian flags, Palestinian colors, a painting of Palestinians in keffiyahs, and a map of Palestine that excludes Israel.
As noted many times, though the Palestinians of Chile are 99% Christian, they have identified with the Palestinian cause in the Mideast, even though that cause has an Islamist flavor.
They seem to have forgotten that their ancestors fled the Holy Land because of Islamic oppression.
But they are a force in sports in Chile – They have a rivalry with the University of Chile. They are a second national team to the Palestinians in the Holy Land. They have even signed up a Muslim player from the Palestinian territories. And, by dint of their fame and devotion, CD Palestino has become a political force as well.
It is a rather strange arrangement. Sports in America tends to be apolitical. Not so in Chile, nor the Mideast.
