SOLIDARITY AND PEACE

Chilean club with link to Celtic fans offers message of hope against horror in Gaza

- David COUGHLAN

JOSE Nabzo turns his laptop around.

The view switches from a small club office to the empty stands of the Estadio Municipal de La Cisterna near Santiago and the Andes Mountains.

"Now it’s very quiet, it's Monday, but on match day the Palestinian flags are everywhere, people eating shawarma and falafel, it's noisy," says Nabzo.

"It's about the message. Solidarity and peace.

"We don't want to enter into politics, religion... we don't speak about that. This club just speaks about solidarity with Palestinian people and about peace."

Nabzo is the communications officer for Club Deportivo Palestino, one of the leading teams in Chilean top flight football.

In the past they have been coached by the likes of former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini and Fernando Riera, the godfather of Chilean football who led the country to third place at the 1962 World Cup.

But it’s the club's links to Palestine that have brought them to international prominence in recent years and even prompted a link-up with Celtic fans.

"To work here is a dream. I have Palestinian origins on both sides — grandfather and grandmother," says Nabzo.

"Palestino have been an ambassador for Palestinians in Chile for a long time, but now it’s not just in Chile, it's the world."

He shows a photo of children queuing for food in Gaza.

"A photo journalist for Al Jazeera sent me the picture," he says. "One of the kids is wearing a Palestino jersey.

"I sent that photo to all workers and players and directors of this club. I said them, ‘Look, this is Palestino'.

"The Palestine national team is very important, but we feel like another national team for Palestine."

Conflict in Gaza has changed everything at the club.