GAZA, July 16, 2010 (WAFA)- Palestinians trapped in the Gaza Strip because of the ongoing Israeli blockade were, like the rest of the world, keenly following the World Cup over the last weeks in their homes, cafes and public places, said Oxfam weekly report from July 4-10 .
The small part of the population that could afford to eat at a restaurant gathered in places such as the openair Gallery Cafe in Gaza City to watch the final match, creating a faint link to the outer world at a time when Palestinians in Gaza remain under blockade.
Travelling to South Africa was out of the question even for the few Palestinians in Gazan who could afford such a trip. Despite Israel’s official announcement of an easing of the blockade, most of the 1.5 million Palestinians of Gaza are still forbidden to travel abroad and within the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) – the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
They are also forbidden from playing football in one, unified national league: the Palestinian National Team and the Football Association are splintered between Gaza and the rest of the oPt because of the blockade. High potential footballers are trapped in Gaza, unable to train and play with their colleagues in the West Bank.
