[[{"content_id":"302543","domain_id":"0","lang_id":"en","portal_id":"2","owner_id":"114","user_id":"6","view_accesslevel_id":"0","edit_accesslevel_id":"0","delete_accesslevel_id":"0","editor_id":"0","content_title":"Gaza team wins Palestine Cup despite Israeli restrictions","content_number":"","content_date_event":"2017-08-07 05:08:17","content_summary":"Shabab of Rafah became the first Gazan team to win football\u2019s Palestine Cup in more than a decade Friday, despite Israeli restrictions keeping 10 of its players off the pitch.","content_summary_fill":"1","content_body":" \r\n\r\nShabab of Rafah became the first Gazan team to win football’s Palestine Cup in more than a decade Friday, despite Israeli restrictions keeping 10 of its players off the pitch.\r\n\r\n\r\nRafah and Ahly Al-Khalil from the southern West Bank city of al-Khalil ('Hebron') which hosted the game ended the second leg nil-nil, but Rafah’s 2-0 first leg lead meant it took the title.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Gazan club had to field a weakened side, with only 15 of its 25 members of the playing squad given Israeli permits to travel.\r\n\r\n\r\nRafah director Khaled Kweik told AFP it was the first time the team had ever won the cup, calling it a historic victory.\r\n\r\n\r\n“We were harassed as we entered the West Bank and the Israelis banned 10 players from entering,” he said after the final whistle.\r\n\r\n\r\n“But the rest of the players were able to protect the draw and take the title.”\r\n\r\n\r\nThe West Bank and Gaza are separated by Israel, and Palestinians looking to travel between the two must apply for Israeli permits.\r\n\r\n\r\nAhly won the cup in 2015 and 2016, but its home advantage in this year’s second leg was not enough to see it overturn the two-goal deficit.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe annual fixture pits the winners of separate cup competitions in Gaza and the West Bank over a two-leg final — one in each of the Palestinian territories.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe cup did not take place for 15 years largely over problems with Israeli permits, but resumed in 2015 after world football body FIFA intervened.","content_html":"

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Shabab of Rafah became the first Gazan team to win football’s Palestine Cup in more than a decade Friday, despite Israeli restrictions keeping 10 of its players off the pitch.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n


\r\nRafah and Ahly Al-Khalil from the southern West Bank city of al-Khalil ('Hebron') which hosted the game ended the second leg nil-nil, but Rafah’s 2-0 first leg lead meant it took the title.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n


\r\nThe Gazan club had to field a weakened side, with only 15 of its 25 members of the playing squad given Israeli permits to travel.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n


\r\nRafah director Khaled Kweik told AFP it was the first time the team had ever won the cup, calling it a historic victory.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n


\r\n“We were harassed as we entered the West Bank and the Israelis banned 10 players from entering,” he said after the final whistle.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n


\r\n“But the rest of the players were able to protect the draw and take the title.”<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n


\r\nThe West Bank and Gaza are separated by Israel, and Palestinians looking to travel between the two must apply for Israeli permits.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n


\r\nAhly won the cup in 2015 and 2016, but its home advantage in this year’s second leg was not enough to see it overturn the two-goal deficit.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n


\r\nThe annual fixture pits the winners of separate cup competitions in Gaza and the West Bank over a two-leg final — one in each of the Palestinian territories.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n


\r\nThe cup did not take place for 15 years largely over problems with Israeli permits, but resumed in 2015 after world football body FIFA intervened.<\/span><\/p>","content_source":"","content_url":"","content_columns":"0","content_date_start":"2017-08-07 05:08:17","content_date_finish":"2017-08-07 05:08:17","content_date_register":"2017-08-07 05:11:05","content_date_last_edit":"2017-08-07 05:11:05","content_show_img":"1","content_show_details":"0","content_show_related_img":"0","content_show_slider":"1","content_show_title_slider":"1","content_comment":"1","content_score":"0","content_recorded":"0","content_confirmed":"0","content_status":"1","content_kind":"0","old_id":"0","tag_id":null,"tag_word":null,"tag_service":null,"tag_total":null,"tag_soundex":null,"attach_token":"2775940430","attach_date_register":"2017-08-07 05:11:04","attach_id":"406112","attach_file_ext":"jpg","attach_file_header":"image\/jpeg","attach_img_type":"2","attach_img_width":"798","attach_img_height":"400","attach_file_media":"1","attach_show_watermark":"1","score_average":null,"score_count":null,"score_date_last":null,"visit_count":"2100","visit_date_last":"2024-04-20 14:52:02","attach_title":"Gaza team wins Palestine Cup despite Israeli restrictions\r\n 2","node_title":"Sports","ot_node_left_right":"[{\"node_id\":125, \"left\":7, \"right\":8}]"}]]