Situated in the vibrant district of La Cisterna in Santiago, the Estadio Municipal de La Cisterna is home to a unique football club that embodies the heritage and resilience of the Palestinian diaspora. Club Deportivo Palestino, affectionately known as ‘Palestino’, is a sports team that has become a powerful symbol of Palestinian-Chilean identity and cultural preservation.
‘Palestino is not just a football team; it is part of my personal history… the history of my family,’ explains Diego Khamis, Executive Director of the Palestinian Community Chile, an umbrella organization for all Palestinian institutions in Chile. ‘I go to all the matches, and I am a very big fan. My father is a member of the board, and so was my grandfather.’
For Khamis, his family’s history is deeply intertwined with the club’s journey. ‘Palestino represents more than football; it represents the Palestinian people and Palestinian heritage. It’s a representation of our cause and our immigrant experience in Chile.’
Khamis comes from a long line of Palestinian immigrants who have played pivotal roles in shaping the community’s institutions. His great-grandfather first set foot in Chile in 1907, marking the beginning of the Khamis family’s connection to the country. His grandfather was a board member of Club Deportivo Palestino, the Orthodox Church, and of Club Palestino, the social club, which are among the most important Palestinian institutions in Chile. Khamis’ father also participated on the board of Palestino and served as the president of the Arab Union of Charity. Khamis himself has been actively involved in Palestinian institutions for about fifteen years, including serving as president of the youth board of Club Palestino for seven years. He later joined the main board of the club. Professionally, Khamis is a lawyer who has worked in the Chilean government and parliament as an advisor to parliamentarians.
‘My great-grandfather’s journey was just the start,’ Khamis recounts. ‘He returned to Palestine, but my grandfather, born in Beit Jala in 1920, eventually made Chile his home during the Nakba of 1948.’
The story of Palestino mirrors the experiences of families like Diego Khamis’s. Founded in 1920, the club began as an amateur team, a way for Palestinian immigrants to maintain their cultural ties and find a community in their new homeland. The decision to create the team served to integrate the Palestinian community into Chilean society, to challenge negative stereotypes and combat the discrimination that existed against Arabs immigrants at that time.
Today, Chile boasts the largest Palestinian community outside the Middle East, with estimates ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 people of Palestinian descent. ‘Our community has deep roots here,’ Khamis explains. ‘Palestino became a natural extension of our presence, a way to celebrate our heritage. We are perceived in a very positive way within the country and integrated well into the Chilean society.’ The club serves as a bridge between Chilean and Palestinian cultures, fostering understanding and appreciation for Palestinian heritage among Chileans.
A move to professionalism was not just a sporting decision but a political one, made in response to the partition of Palestine in 1947. ‘Raul Hasbun, a Palestinian-Chilean Catholic priest and a prominent figure in our community, pushed for the professionalisation of the club,’ Khamis reveals. ‘He believed that by having Palestino in professional leagues, we could keep Palestine’s name in the public consciousness at a time when our homeland was being erased from maps.’
The club’s history took a significant turn in 1952 when it played its first professional match.
Palestino competes in the Chilean Primera División, the highest level of professional football in Chile. The team has achieved considerable success over the years, claiming the league title twice and regularly competing in South American club competitions.
The Palestinian identity of the club remains strong, particularly in its visual representation. The team’s uniforms prominently feature Palestinian motifs, with the colours of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black, and white – incorporated into the design.
‘During the time of Intifada, the team changed the typical symbol to the Palestinian flag, Khamis notes. In times of conflict or significant events related to Palestine, the club has even changed its crest to incorporate the Palestinian flag more prominently. ‘The uniform stands as a source of pride; it’s a way for us to display our heritage on an international stage.’
The club’s strong commitment to Palestinian identity and solidarity is indisputable., Khamis recalls one particularly poignant moment: ‘During the Sabra and Shatila massacre in 1982, Palestino refused to play a scheduled match. It was a powerful statement of solidarity with our people back in Palestine.’
However, faced with the threat of severe sanctions, the team directors decided to compromise. Instead of not playing, they held a minute of silence before the match, followed by a march – an unprecedented act during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. This gesture, while not as absolute as forfeiting the match, still sent a strong message of support and defiance.
With Israel’s recent war on Gaza, the club has been holding moments of silence before their matches to honour the victims of Gaza, with players entering the pitch wearing keffiyehs featuring the colours of the Palestinian flag, demonstrating their solidarity with the people of Palestine that have lost their lives in the conflict.
Palestino has also achieved significant sporting milestones, including two Chilean league championships. The team has competed against some of the biggest clubs in Latin America, such as Boca Juniors, River Plate, and São Paulo. One of their most significant achievements was eliminating Flamengo, a major Brazilian club, in a South American Cup match. This victory in Brazil is considered a historic moment for Palestino.
‘We’ve had some great players in our history. Elías Figueroa, who played for us in the 1970s. We’ve had players like Roberto Bishara, of Palestinian descent, who became a fan favourite.’
Elías Figueroa is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the club and is frequently listed among the best players in global football history. In 2023, Oscar Fabbiani, an Argentine player, also gained significant recognition and became closely associated with the club. Currently, the standout player is Maxi Salas, who, like Fabbiani, is also from Argentina.
What’s particularly fascinating about Palestino is its global fanbase. ‘We have more followers on social media from outside Chile than from within,’ Khamis reveals with a smile. ‘About eighty percent of our online supporters are from countries like Palestine, Algeria, Indonesia, and others. It’s incredible to see how our little club from Chile has become a symbol for Palestinians and supporters of Palestine worldwide.’
‘Many countries throughout South America support Palestine, many of them have big Palestinian communities.’ Club Deportivo Palestino has become very well-known and popular, it has played a significant role in bringing awareness to the plight of Palestinians and shaping perceptions of Arabs and Palestinians in Chilean society as well as South America.
‘Many people from the community go to the stadium to support Palestino. They sing Arabic songs with Arabic instruments in the Spanish language during the matches.’
This international support extends to Palestine itself, where Palestino shirts are a common sight at national team matches. ‘It’s amazing,’ Khamis admits. ‘Sometimes you see more Palestino shirts than Palestinian national team shirts at these games. It shows how much the club means to Palestinians everywhere.’
Khamis believes that Palestino serves as a powerful ‘soft ambassador’ for the Palestinian cause in Chile. ‘For me, each goal scored by Palestino represents the journey and struggles of Palestinian immigrants in Chile.’
Unlike complex political discussions about UN resolutions or borders, the club’s use of Palestinian symbols, such as displaying the flag or map during matches, effectively communicates the Palestinian struggle to Chilean society. This visual representation, according to Khamis, is often more impactful in raising awareness about the situation in Palestine than traditional political discourse on television.
For Khamis, Palestino is more than just a football club – it’s a family legacy. ‘Palestino represents our cause in Chile,’ he says with emotion. ‘I see the club as a symbol of the Palestinian people’s fight for freedom and their successful integration into Chilean society.’
Reflecting on what Palestino means to him personally, Khamis reveals, ‘Every time I watch a Palestino match, I’m not just cheering for a team. I’m connecting with my roots, honouring the journey of my family, and celebrating the resilience of the Palestinian people. Each goal is a victory not just for the club, but for our entire community.’
The club’s impact extends beyond the football pitch. It has played a crucial role in raising awareness about Palestinian issues and has become a unifying force for the Palestinian diaspora. During times of conflict in Palestine, Palestino has used its platform to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians and organizing events to show solidarity.
‘We’re more than a football club,’ Khamis insists. ‘We’re a cultural institution, a reminder of our heritage, it is a symbol of resistance to the world not just Chile and our community is very proud of this.’
© Positively Palestine Magazine 2024, all rights reserved.
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