Issam
Khalidi
On the eve of the Nakba (catastrophe of
1948), Jaffa was the largest Arab city in Palestine. Its Arab population
(Muslims and Christians) was approximately 90,000, more than the population of
both Jerusalem and Haifa. It was one of the richest cities in Palestine because
of the citrus trade and the beginning of a modern manufacturing movement. In addition,
it was a cultural capital and a center for Palestinian sports. Few
clubs were founded in Jaffa in the 1920s among them was the Islamic Sports Club
Al-Nadi al-Riyadi al-Islami by a group of young men: Abdel Rahman
al-Habbab, Dr. Daoud
al-Huseini, Mamdouh Nabilsi, Muhamed al-Huseini, Abdel Salam Al-Dajani and
Rashad Dabagh.[1]
Hasan Bawwab mentioned that in order to negate any denominational feature, this
club had some Christian members such as Elias Salame, As’ad Tajja and Halim
Saba. [2]
Immediately after its founding in 1926,
in coordination with the Awqaf administration ISC took Ard al-Bariyya Land of the Wild as
its football field. Later, the club management
purchased a new field called Mala’b al-Bassa (Al-Bassa Field). It had a
capacity of 10,000
spectators. [3]
As a reaction
to the Zionist domination on the sports arena and the marginalization of the
Arabs form the Palestine Football Association (established in 1928), ISC joined the Arab Palestine Sports
Federation directly after its founding in 1931 and took part in its first
tournament in October 1933.[4] Later, it
took part in the tournaments of the Trophy of King Ghazai Dir’ Al-Melek
Ghazi, organized by the PSF and Youth Congress.[5] In addition
to ISC of Jaffa PSF included other clubs such
as Arab Sports Club and Nadi al-Rawda in
Jerusalem, the Orthodox Club of Jaffa, the Islamic Sports Club of Haifa, the White
Star, Ittihad al-Karmal, Istiqlal and the Salesian سالزيان Club of Haifa.
In July
1935 ISC participated in the scout-athletic exhibition organized by the
Palestine Sports Federation, scouts' leadership and the Youth Congress.[6] It
formed a scouts' group that made good contribution to the scouting movement in
Palestine. Its members were always doing their national duties by taking part
in the demonstrations against the British policy; in transporting wounded to hospitals
and guarding the beaches to prevent the smuggling of Jews.[7]
Due to the consequences of the 1936 Revolt the sports activities became almost
paralyzed. Some of the clubs were exposed to closure, its members were
arrested. The Orthodox Club in Jaffa was confiscated and used as headquarters
for the British troops. Expressing its sympathy with the Orthodox Club, the
Islamic Club in Jaffa offered its supports, al-Difa’ published the
letter:
Dear Brothers, Head and Members of the
Orthodox Youth Club (OYC), The Board of the Islamic Sports Clubs (ISC) in Jaffa
offers its apology for the decision made by the government to take your club as
a barracks for its soldiers, which could hinder the club’s activities. We had
the honor to cooperate with the Orthodox Club – which enjoyed a big respect
among other national clubs in Palestine. The board of our club conveyed and
decided to send a letter of protest to the governor of the south province. Thus,
the Islamic Club welcomes all members of the Orthodox Club; they will enjoy the
same privileges as its members. The board of the ISC will offer the Orthodox Club
a room for its meetings. [8]
Due to the
1936-39 Revolt, the activities of the (Arab) Palestine Sports Federation were
suspended. Some clubs joined the Zionist-dominated Palestine Football Association
and took part in its leagues. Among these teams were Shabab al-Arab (Haifa),
Tirsana (Haifa), ISC (Haifa), ISC (Jaffa), Orthodox Club and Christians Club
(Jerusalem), with other two Armenian teams Hoychmen of Haifa and Homentmen of Jerusalem.
In September
1944, the Palestine Sport Federation was re-established. Thirty-five club
representatives attended the meeting which was held in the ISC in Jaffa. Later,
many clubs joined PSF. Filastin reported that “due to the invitation by the Qawmi Club
in Jaffa [since 1941 until 1944 the name of ISC had been changed to al-Nadi
al-Qawmi the National Club] to the clubs’ officials in Palestine about
the re-establishment of a general football association, we offer our gratitude
to this club [ISC] for its initiatives.”[9]
ISC became the
headquarters of PSF. It met with the Mandate teams and Arab teams from neighboring
Arab countries. The match between the Islamic Sports Club and the Aleppo team
is one of the first matches that took place with the Arab teams after the
re-establishment of PSF. The match was attended by five thousand spectators. It ended
with 4:3 in favor for ISC.
The first championship in
football was held in 1945 – 1946. ISC met with the Orthodox Club of Jerusalem
and won the Palestine Cup. Thirteen
teams participated in the 1946-1947 tournament. The final match was held in
Haifa on June 28, 1947 where Shabab al-Arab the Arab Youth of Haifa defeated
the Islamic Club of Jaffa five to one.
PSF
divided Palestine into six regions: Jaffa, Haifa, Jerusalem, Nablus, Gaza and
Galilee. Each region had its own selected team. Jaffa selected team included
players from ISC, Orthodox SC and ISC of Ramla. ISC of Jaffa included the
players: Salah Haj Mir, Abdel-Ghani al-Habbab, Hamoudah Qabuq, Fakhri Qara Nooh
and Mustafa Da’da’.
ISC included famous boxers like Adib al-Desouqi,
who started his career in the club before moving to the Olympic Institute, a boxing
club he Dr. Haqqi Mazin had established. It is also known that Dr. Mazin was a
boxing coach at the ISC. The club also included boxers such as Ibrahim
Al-Dabbagh, Abdul Hadi Al-Sadr, Mohammed Al Masri, Abdul Raouf Al-Maghrabi,
Fakhri Tranous, Abdulmutallab Al-Jamal, Mohammed Samara, Mohammed Al-Sakha,
Ibrahim Al-Sharqawi, Sidqi Sarhan and Mustafa al-Habbab.[10]
In 1944, ISC founded the Al-Najdah
Organization. Khairuddin Abul-Jibin notes in his book (Qissat Hayati
fi Filastin and Kuwait My Life in Palestine and Kuwait) that this organization
was founded in Jaffa in 1944. It was the first Arab paramilitary organization in
Palestine– similar to the Lebanese Najada. It came as a result of the
tight links between the athletic-youth movement and the national movement, and as
a reaction to the Zionist dangers in Palestine. PSF took a decision to support Al-Najada.
Its
spread among the clubs in Palestine was promoted by the PSF. The name of Al-Najada
was written on the membership card of the PSF. On the first of Eid al-Fitr in 1944, the first Al-Najada exhibition
was held in Jaffa. The members toured the streets of the city for two hours;
they were dressed in semi-military uniform and were welcomed by the public.
During the year of Nakba, many sacrifices were made by ISC’s
members, few of its members were killed while defending their land. The player Zaki al-Darhali was killed by an explosive device planted by the Zionist terrorists in al-Sarai building in Jaffa. Most of the
members were displaced and dispersed, among them those who moved to Jordan, West
Bank, Sector Gaza, Lebanon and Gulf States. Abdel Rahman al-Habbab left to
Jordan, and became the President of the JFA.
The club
still exists to this day, but in different and restricted circumstances. Wearing
the kufiyye, and flying the club’s flags, the club's scouts team marches the streets of Jaffa celebrating Islamic holidays.
Notes:
[1] Abdel
Rahman al-Habbab was a football player, after the re-establishment of the Arab
Palestine Sports Federation APSF in 1944 he became its Secretary. Dr. Daoud al-Huseini took
part in establishing the APSF in 1931 and elected its secretary.
[2] Hasan
al-Bawab, Mayso’at Yafa al-Jamila [Fine Jaffa
Encyclopedia] Vol. II (Beirut: 2003) p. 1179-1189.
[4] Issam Khalidi, “Sports and Aspirations:
Football in Palestine 1900-948,” Jerusalem Quarterly 58, (2014), 74-89
[6] The Arab Palestinian Youth Congress (Mu’tamar
al-Shabab al- ‘Arabi al-Filastini) was established in Jerusalem in 1931. It
was active in youth, scouts, sports and political activities, and was famous
for its nationalistic trends. It had its first conference in 1932, the second
in 1935. See ‘Isaal- Sifri. Filastin al-‘Arabiyya bayn al-Intidab
wal-Sahyuniyya [Arab Palestine between the Mandate and Zionism] (Jaffa: Maktabat
Filastinal-Jadida, 1937), 194–201.
[7] Issa al-Sifri, Filastin bayn al-Intidabwa al-Sahyuniyya [Palestine between the Mandate and Zionism] (Jaffa: Maktabat Filastin al-Jadida,1937),
[7] Issa al-Sifri, Filastin bayn al-Intidabwa al-Sahyuniyya [Palestine between the Mandate and Zionism] (Jaffa: Maktabat Filastin al-Jadida,1937),
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