Celtic Soccer Fans Have Shown Two Very Different Sorts Of ‘Solidarity’ With Palestine

This article originally appeared on VICE Sports UK.

When Palestinian flags were raised at Celtic Park ahead of kick-off against Hapoel Be'er Sheva last week, the firestorm of debate was already raging. General discourse about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is almost guaranteed to be black-and-white in character, a fact that is never more apparent than when the labyrinthine politics of the situation is combined with the fierce tribalism of Scottish football. There has been loud praise for Celtic from some commentators and deep censure from others, usually dependent on political predilection. Celtic travel to Beersheba on Tuesday evening, and the protest is unlikely to be repeated in the Capital of the Negev. For non-partisan observers, that comes as something of a relief.

For the Celtic fans who flew the Pan-Arab colours last Wednesday, the gesture was an act of solidarity with Palestine. Writing for Glasgow Live after the match, one of the supporters who was involved in the protest laid out the fans' motivations and his own staunch standpoint. "We took a stand last night because we had to," he said. "This was an Israeli team, one whose town is built on occupied Palestinian land."

Comparing the situation to the 1988 Scottish Cup Final at Hampden, where Margaret Thatcher was roundly booed by Celtic fans, he went on: "People choose themselves when it is time to make a personal, political stance at the football. That is ultimately what [the show of solidarity] came down to, personal choice. It is our right to protest and choose where we protest, not the right of others."

Celtic fans give Margaret Thatcher an uncomfortable welcome to Hampden in 1988

It's difficult to argue with that last claim. Though the club will bear the financial brunt, Celtic fans are within their rights to make political statements as and when they please, including showing international support for Palestine. That said, it's difficult to know exactly what 'Palestine' means in the context of the current political climate, what with Fatah controlling the West Bank and fundamentalist Hamas acting as the governing body of the Gaza Strip, each using the people of Palestine for their own gain. Unfortunately, that's just another nuance which is lost in the right-and-wrong, black-and-white nature of the debate surrounding Middle Eastern politics. The point still stands: Celtic supporters are welcome to make a show of international solidarity with Palestine.

When it comes to directing such a statement at Hapoel Be'er Sheva, however, things become far more problematic. Shorn of context and presented merely as "an Israeli team," the situation looks fairly cut and dried. In reality, Hapoel are a small, regional club from the desert city of Beersheba, one which has meandered between the top flight and lower leagues since its foundation 67 years ago. Having won the Israeli Premier League last season, their fans are currently celebrating one of the greatest underdog stories in the country's recent history.

Hapoel are comparable to Burnley, Wolves or Leicester, even. They are neither the most popular nor the most fashionable club in Israel, and they certainly do not represent the Israeli establishment. While Maccabi Tel Aviv are famously popular amongst the political elite – the Real Madrid of Israel, if you will – Hapoel Be'er Sheva are the polar opposite. Their identity could not be less aligned with the ruling classes, especially considering that clubs with the 'Hapoel' moniker are historically associated with trade unionism and the Israeli Labour Party. That's why the club crest shows a worker aligned with a hammer and sickle, standing next to an industrial chimney. Celtic's diehards might dismiss Be'er Sheva as "an Israeli team", but they probably have more in common with their opponents than they realise.

Footage of Celtic's pro-Palestine protest

In this context, brandishing Palestinian flags at Be'er Sheva fans seems somewhat arbitrary. It has little to do with Be'er Sheva fans, and much to do with a summary lumping of Israelis into one homogenous political group. Directing a 'Free Palestine' message at Hapoel Be'er Sheva makes little difference, because the people with the power to change things for normal Palestinians are highly unlikely to support Be'er Sheva. Celtic fans might argue that any match broadcast on Israeli television is fair game for protest, but that leaves Hapoel Be'er Sheva as nothing more than a convenient stooge.

Once again, nuance muddies the waters. When it comes to the questionable identity politics of supporting Palestine against "an Israeli team", there are no real winners, and not much done that is of quantifiable good. Be'er Sheva fans are left baffled by the confrontation, while the actual focus of Celtic fans' anger – Israel's political establishment – is left unscathed. Celtic supporters are welcome to make a show of solidarity with Palestine, but waving flags at Be'er Sheva supporters is a gesture of dubious value.

Indeed, the value of that gesture stands in stark contrast with what has followed this week, after Celtic were inevitably hit with a sanction for displaying "an illicit banner." UEFA rules prohibit "any message that is not fit for a sports event, particularly messages that are of a political, ideological, religious, offensive or provocative nature" and, with politics at the heart of the issue, the fine comes as no real surprise. With a hefty bill coming the club's way, an appeal on the gofundme wesbite has raised almost £100,000. That should be more than enough to match UEFA's financial penalty, and all of it is set to go to Palestinian charities including Medical Aid Palestine, which provides healthcare to displaced Palestinians, and the Lajee Centre, a cultural and sports project for children in Aida refugee camp.

When it comes to showing solidarity with the people of Palestine, raising £100,000 for their direct relief is a meaningful achievement. That is a gesture of genuine substance, and does infinitely more good than simply waving a flag.