Palestinian Olympic Team Welcomed with Cheers in Paris

Palestinian Olympic athletes were greeted with enthusiastic cheers and gifts as they arrived in Paris on Thursday July 25th, ready to represent Gaza and the Palestinian territories on the global stage.

Read More: Fans Showed Support for Palestine at Paris Olympics 2024

As the jubilant athletes walked through a sea of Palestinian flags at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, they expressed hope that their presence would symbolize resilience amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has claimed over 39,000 Palestinian lives.

The crowd, including French supporters and politicians, urged the European nation to recognize a Palestinian state and voiced their discontent with Israel's participation in the Games, citing accusations of “war crimes and crimes against humanity” by U.N.-backed human rights experts.

“France doesn’t recognize Palestine as a country, so I am here to raise the flag,” said Yazan Al-Bawwab, a 24-year-old Palestinian swimmer born in Saudi Arabia. “We're not treated like human beings, so when we come play sports, people realize we are equal to them.” Al-Bawwab, one of eight athletes on the Palestinian team, signed autographs and accepted dates from a child in the crowd.

The chants of “free Palestine” echoed through the airport, highlighting how global conflicts and political tensions are affecting the Olympic Games. 

Palestinian ambassador to France Hala Abou called for France to formally recognize a Palestinian state and boycott the Israeli Olympic delegation, citing personal losses in the war. “It’s welcome that comes as no surprise to the French people, who support justice and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination,” she said.

Maintaining an Olympic training program in Gaza, the West Bank, and east Jerusalem has been challenging, especially during the nine months of conflict in Gaza, which has devastated much of the sporting infrastructure.

Many athletes on the Palestinian team, part of the large Palestinian diaspora worldwide, were born or live elsewhere but remain deeply connected to their homeland. Palestinian American swimmer Valerie Tarazi handed out traditional keffiyehs to supporters, saying, “You can either crumble under pressure or use it as energy. I chose to use it as energy.”

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