Email reply to British Consulate in Palestine
Sent: Thursday, 16 August, 2007 8:17:38 PM
Subject: Re: refusal notices for footballers from Gaza
Dear XXXXXXXXX
I wish to make clear to you that I think your email refusing to give details of the reasons for the refusal of visas to the Palestinian Football team is unacceptable. You have not even sent these reasons to the Palestinians. You said that you would send the Gazans their refusals but now you seem to be saying that they must spend yet more money on a courier to get them, and then send another courier to you authorising release to me, by which time Palestine may well have been liberated. I believe that the Palestinians are entitled to more than a whispered phone message to one of the Palestine FA staff obliging him to run around all the others and tell them verbally. How can this possibly fit with your disingenuous statement that each applicant is entitled to privacy under the Data Protection Act? They have paid for a visa, and are entitled to a full menu of reasons delivered to them for the whopping £50 that they have paid.
I am copying this mail to your line manager to register my contempt and disgust for this obviously politically motivated decision, which seems to be designed either to provide a fig leaf for the expected refusal of the Israelis to grant either exit or re-entry permits, which is what you told me the first time, or just a part of Government policy to keep Gaza under siege. I cannot believe that it is because the Gazans are too poor to avoid succumbing to the blandishments of the UK, which is what I was later told, although it would be an equal disgrace if it was.
This tour was offered by CAPE to the National side, to give them an opportunity to stand alongside the Israelis with a football presence in the UK. Our aims have always been clear, that we want to give the Palestinians the chance to express their statehood in a National Team. That we would show the positive side of these ambassadors for Palestine, and use their achievements in their appalling conditions to boost the efforts of those trying to build hope amongst disadvantaged communities in Britain. And we would hope to improve their football. Your refusal of their visas seems to me, and will seem to many others, to be a clear indication that you reject any possibility of them expressing that Statehood or developing that possibility of a positive relationship with the world, or even just competing on a level playing field, and in my opinion, speaks volumes about the Government's attitude to the Peace process, and the right of self determination of this emprisoned people.
It cannot fail to harden opinion against the British Government both in the occupied Territories and in the UK. It will certainly render less than credible government statements about empowering Palestinians as a means of reducing the lure of armed action, for it is clear that the Government has no intention whatsoever of allowing any empowerment to Palestinians. I cannot see how this policy, which so blatantly favours Israel by trying to sweep the Palestinians under the carpet, can possibly help to make Britain, or British Staff overseas, any safer. It seems like it is determined to provoke, confront, insult and generate anger. It is an appalling breach of good faith and will not help Mr Blair one iota, if his quest is for peace and not for the continuing subjugation of Palestinians.
I am ashamed and dismayed at the actions of my Government.
Yours sincerely
Rod Cox
PRESS RELEASE
PALESTINE NATIONAL YOUTH FOOTBALL TEAM
REFUSED VISAS TO UK
The British Government has refused to issue visas for travel to England for the Palestine National Youth Football Team. The team was due to arrive today (21st August) for a three week tour of the UK. Visas were refused both to Palestinians living in Palestine, and refuges domiciled elsewhere. The official reason given for refusing the visitors visas is that the Palestinians are too poor to be trusted to return home.
The Entry Clearance Officer at the Jerusalem Consulate said “The refusal has been taken at the highest level in London. It is in line with current immigration policy”.
Rod Cox, the organiser of the tour that would have seen the Palestinians play, Chester City, Tranmere Rovers and Blackburn Rovers, as well as undergo an intensive 3 week training course and visit Asian community football projects said;
“The decision is incredible. Only a few months ago the Foreign Office was considering funding this scheme under the ‘Engagement with Islam’ programme. They recognised that the positive nature of engaging people in sport both in Palestine and in the UK helps to keep young men out of the hands of the gunmen. But the ‘Engaging with Islam’ programme has been completely terminated, and no grants will be given this year. This tour is supported by the English FA; the Professional Footballer’s Association and was undertaken in Partnership with the University of Chester. Specialist Coaches gave their time freely, and literally hundreds of people have helped.”
He goes on to say, “The tour has support groups in Halifax, Bradford, Leeds, London and Liverpool as well as Blackburn and Chester. It is also financially supported by Islamic Charities such as Interpal and Friends of Al Aqsa as well as the official bodies, and they all saw it as abridge building exercise. Now I cannot see any other outcome than an alienation of all these people from the British Government as a result of this decision. If even I think that this result looks like a racially motivated decision that helps to perpetuate Israeli Control over Palestinians then I am fairly certain that this is the message that will seep through to Britain’s 2 million Muslims’. It is particularly galling that on the 8th September the Israeli National team will be in the UK to play England without needing visas.”
The guiding principle of the tour was defined by the words of the American born striker for Palestine Morad Fareed:
“Football is one of the very few institutions that Palestine has to compete, to show our statehood, to be on the world stage”
The tour’s main purpose was to express this sense of nationhood for Palestine in the UK and is called “Palestine - Something to Cheer About” According to Rod Cox, “Stopping the Tour is therefore an insult to the whole nation of Palestine”
Truce International is also offering support to this cause. Nancy Dell’Olio, Chairman says:
“The tour is a perfect example of disparate cultural groups working together to use the energy and camaraderie of football to positively introduce different cultures to each other. The search for excellence and the focus on improvement gives many children in impoverished circumstances a reason for living, and it definitely works to take children away from violence and guns, things they pick up when they have nothing to do, and all hope taken away from them. This decision of the British Government will be seen in Gaza, where most of the team originate, as siding with the enemy. To refuse a national team admission solely on the grounds that they are too poor and deprived to be trusted to visit the UK will not do Britain any good abroad. The lives of these boys, who have worked so hard to achieve the position they are in, are just being thrown away."
Nancy Dell’Olio will continue to show her support by attending a fund-raising dinner for the absent team at Chester Town Hall on the 1st September. The visit has also attracted support from the following VIPs, The Bishop of Chester, Alexei Sayle, Mark Steel and Jeremy Hardy, and Marcel Khalife, a Unesco appointed 'Artist for Peace' who lives in Texas and performed at a sell-out gig at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in July 2007.
The Palestine Football teams have been dogged by bad luck and lack of support from those in power; in 2005 the Israelis prevented the Palestinians competing in Football, including detaining players in Gaza during a world cup qualifier. They also prevented the entire team leaving Gaza for an Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore in 2006, and locked the team out for over a month after they competed in Jordan in June this year.
The effects of this refusal are catastrophic for the organisation. Even if the team were able to come at a different time, it may be impossible to accommodate them, since the principle partner, the University of Chester, will not have the accommodation available in term time, the League teams have needed a very considerable lead time to commit to the matches in a busy schedule, and the coaches, all of whom were giving their time voluntarily, will not be available.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Palestine - Something to Cheer About – The organisers are calling for the general public; especially those concerned with Football, Fair Play and Human Rights to write or phone their MP and send a message to the Foreign office, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH asking for the decision to be reversed and to call for a formal response from the UK government outlining why this situation has arisen.
CONTACTS:
Rod Cox
CAPE - Chester and Palestine Exchanges Ltd
T: + 44 (0) 79210 40817
E: rod@palestinefootball.myzen.co.uk
W: www.pledgebank.com/palestinefootball / www.palestinefootball.myzen.co.uk
John Carmichael
Director - Truce International
T: + 44 (0) 77764 90061
Khaled Abu Zaher
Press Officer - Palestine FA – Arabic only.
T: + 97 25994 01370
E: khaled68us@yahoo.com
English speaking press contact – Palestine FA
T: + 97 28286 2380
F: + 97 28286 2360
Andrew Morrison
Communications Officer - University of Chester
T: + 44 (0) 12445 13335
Jane Bateman
Head of International Relations - The FA
T: + 44 (0) 20774 54701
The refusal notices were not received by the Palestinians until 21st or 22nd of August (Decision made 14/8/7, reviewed 16/8/7). The tour was due to start on 21 August & run up to 10 September.
The Entry Clearance Officer’s reasons & supporting evidence
I am satisfied that you have been invited by Chester & Palestine Exchanges to take part in a football camp in the UK. I am satisfied that the organisers of the programme are funding the trip in its entirety, including air fares, transport & accommodation. I am therefore satisfied that you could be maintained & accommodated in the UK by your sponsor.
However paragraph 41ii of the Immigration Rules requires me to be satisfied that you intend to leave the United Kingdom on completion of your proposed visit. You have applied for entry clearance at a time when the borders to Gaza have been closed for over two months with no indications of when they will be open again. You have provided no evidence that you will be permitted by the Israeli authorities to exit Gaza for onward travel to the UK, or that if you are able to travel, you would be able to return home to Gaza on completion of your visit. You are habitually resident in Gaza and have provided no evidence that should you be unable to return there, you would be admitted to any other country after a stay in the United Kingdom. I am therefore not satisfied that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your proposed visit.