Club Deportivo Palestino, Chile Palestine Solidarity On The Football Pitch

The Bank of Palestine is the largest sponsor of Club Deportivo Palestino. Since its foundation, the club has benefited from an integrated community in Chile.

Club Deportivo Palestino footballers in Chile stand in solidarity with the people of Jerusalem, 8 May 2021 [Club Deportivo Palestino]

by Ahmad Alzoubi

Anyone who watches Club Deportivo Palestino playing, or sees one of its shirts in official photographs, may think that it is a Palestinian football club. In a way, that’s exactly what it is, and yet it is based in Chile, thousands of miles from occupied Palestine. It is Chile’s own version of Palestine solidarity — on a football pitch.

Chile has the largest Palestinian diaspora community in Latin America; the third or fourth largest in the world. There are 400,000 Palestinian Chileans now in their fourth or fifth generation; the sons and daughters of the pioneers who left the Middle East many years before the events that shredded their native land to pieces.

The club attracts support not only in Palestine, but also across Chile where it is held in great affection. Its supporters cheer every single achievement of their football team.

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