Playing football around Balata Refugee Camp: A visual journey
An uncanny account of war-torn West Bank and Balata Refugee Camp through the eyes of a foreign journalist depicting how football is shaping its future amidst desert, bullets and crisis.
I ended up in small, dimly lit room with a high ceiling. Few tables and lots of chairs were thrown around the room. A big picture of Yasser Arafat was hanging on the wall above a counter with cans and bottles- a clue that this is some kind of a bar, I guess. Suddenly a kid, couldn’t be more than 17 years of age, appeared behind the counter. He approached me yelling in Arabic and then turned his back, unbuttoning pants in front of my camera. Right, I thought, show me your butt so that I can go on with my work.
Still yelling in Arabic, he pulled up his shirt and lowered the pants. There was a hole of the size of an orange in his lower back, just few inches to the right of his spine. “He says, take picture of that you nosy journalist”, explained the other boy who had showed up behind the counter.
When you see a kid, you judge him by his counterpart from West. It is fun to show your butt to a stranger with camera when you are 17. However, if you are a kid in Palestine, you have other things to show. I went to West Bank, Palestine, to write a story about football and how it influences the lives of people in this everlasting state of war. I couldn’t be prepared less. When you hear the word “refugee camp”, you imagine a temporary place. However, refugee camps in West Bank, like Balata Camp in Nablus, were built in 1950s. They were made for five thousand Palestinians displaced from lands that became part of Israel. Now Balata Camp is inhabited by approximately 20 thousand refugees for two or three generations. Unemployment is 60% and raids by Israeli Security Forces are happening on daily basis. This creates anxiety, insecurity and all sorts of social problems that come along with the occupation.
The beautiful game is the most popular sport in Palestine and has a huge following. Palestinians know about all the big leagues, tournaments and players as much as anyone in Europe. However, they follow only two clubs – Barcelona or Real Madrid. Any conversation will sooner or later end by a question “Do you follow Barca or Real?”. The huge polarity that the occupation has created (us – Palestinians and them – Israelis) has been spilled over into the society and created a strange division among football fans as well.
The newest stadium in West Bank. One of only dozen stadiums used by about 70 thousand Palestinian footballers and home to Jenin FC.
Hussein Bin Ali Stadium:Just outside of Hebron city centre you will find Hussein Bin Ali Stadium. Home of at least five football clubs. The lack of space and water in West Bank means you can’t play football just anywhere.
Jenin Football Club in training: Jenin FC used to play in a ground without electricity or water just few years ago. After Arab American university was built 13 kilometres outside of Jenin they have great stadium but still lack balls.
Real Arafat: As much as Palestinians like Yasser Arafat, his fame is considerably threatened by Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. It is obvious who is supported by people who flock to this social club in Hebron down town.
Real Madrid – Betlehemme:What would Jesus think about Real Madrid? We wanted to ask but that shadow on the balcony in this Bethlehem was quite annoyed with our camera. Barcelona supporter I guess.
A wall behind the taxi station in Nablus. Large graffiti says “Barcelona” in Arabic. I suggest you go and meet your neighbour, spend some time with the stranger and he will happily translate the smaller one for you.
You can’t escape from two biggest Spanish clubs in West Bank. Here is Barcelona present in Hebron down town market. Just few meters from infamous Al-Shuhada Street.
Life is difficult in Balata Camp, the best thing is Real Madrid.
West Bank is among top 20 most populated places in the world. Distances between houses in Balata refugee camp are not more than 1.5 meters in average and it is difficult to find space to live let alone to play football. Yet, what do kids know what is 1.5 meters?
West Bank is among top 20 most populated places in the world. Distances between houses in Balata refugee camp are not more than 1.5 meters in average and it is difficult to find space to live let alone to play football. Yet, what do kids know what is 1.5 meters?
West Bank is among top 20 most populated places in the world. Distances between houses in Balata refugee camp are not more than 1.5 meters in average and it is difficult to find space to live let alone to play football. Yet, what do kids know what is 1.5 meters?
West Bank is among top 20 most populated places in the world. Distances between houses in Balata refugee camp are not more than 1.5 meters in average and it is difficult to find space to live let alone to play football. Yet, what do kids know what is 1.5 meters?
West Bank is among top 20 most populated places in the world. Distances between houses in Balata refugee camp are not more than 1.5 meters in average and it is difficult to find space to live let alone to play football. Yet, what do kids know what is 1.5 meters?
If you try and go behind the houses in Balata camp occasionally you will find a football pitch squeezed between the houses. The only proper place to play football in Balata Camp.
If you try and go behind the houses in Balata camp occasionally you will find a football pitch squeezed between the houses. The only proper place to play football in Balata Camp.If you try and go behind the houses in Balata camp occasionally you will find a football pitch squeezed between the houses. The only proper place to play football in Balata Camp.About Mladen Barbaric
Mladen Barbaric is a freelance journalist from Croatia, based in Italy with more than a decade of experience working for Croatian national daily paper Novi list, Le Monde Diplomatique and other outlets.
