In the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, 23-year-old Mahdi Hijazi hasn't played professional football for nearly three years. A former player for the Palestinian national team and Hilal Al-Quds, he now spends his days handing out refreshments at pitches near the Israeli police headquarters, desperate to stay close to the sport he loves.
"Football is in our blood. For three years, there's been no sporting activity at all. Our only concern is to get back to football," Hijazi told Al Jazeera. The Palestine Professional League has been suspended since the war on Gaza began following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent genocide.
Israeli military operations have made travel between the West Bank and East Jerusalem nearly impossible. A surge in settler attacks and road closures by the Israeli regime have effectively halted domestic football. Khaled Abu Dalu, a former national team player who runs a youth academy, says players who once earned $2,000–$3,000 monthly are now working construction or as barbers.
Hijazi himself now buys and sells cars. One of his former teammates moved to Libya after his first child was born but returned due to dangers in Tripoli. Many players have joined Israeli Premier League clubs out of desperation.
The women's national team won the WAFF Championship in April 2025, but 18-year-old Laila Atamneh says no other girls her age still play in Jerusalem. "The war brought out the best version of the national team, but where do I go with my talent?" she asks.
Coach Abdul Fatah Arar estimates that 70–80 players have gone to Libya, with others in Egypt, Jordan, and beyond. He warns that a generation is being lost: "Three years set us back 20 years. But as Palestinians, we don't give up. We started from zero and reached a high point."
The future remains uncertain. Clubs are broke due to frozen Palestinian Authority funds and dried-up donor support. Any revival would likely mean starting from scratch, as in 2008. Youth academies offer a glimmer of hope, but without a league, young talents may never fulfill their potential.
Source: www.aljazeera.com