KUWAIT: Palestinian flags and the black-and-white keffiyehs flew high in Kuwait’s Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium as football fans vented their emotions in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. Thousands of Palestinian sympathizers turned out at the 60,000-seat venue for the game against Australia, Palestine’s first in front of fans since the start of the Zionist-Hamas war.

“Palestine is in our hearts. We came to the stadium, old and young, in support,” Anfal Al-Azmi, a 45-year-old Kuwaiti woman said. Defender Harry Souttar’s 18th-minute goal was all that separated the teams in a 1-0 win for Australia, where the action on the pitch was almost incidental. “We do not care about the match. We came to deliver a message,” said Wael Youssef Labbad, 40, a Palestinian from Ashkelon. “We, the Palestinian people, are always present with the keffiyeh and the flag.”

Palestine’s red, black, white and green flag was ubiquitous at the game — which shifted from Ramallah in the West Bank because of the war — and many fans twirled the distinctive keffiyehs as they chanted. Others held up “Free Gaza” banners and pictures of keys, symbolizing the homes lost by Palestinians during the 1948 creation of the Zionist entity. Australia’s players will donate a portion of their match fee to humanitarian operations in Gaza, whose situation was described as “horrific” by visiting coach Graham Arnold.

“Kuwait and Palestine are one. Today we are guests of Palestine in their land,” said Kuwaiti Ahmed Al-Anezi, 36, who was draped in the Palestinian flag and wore a keffiyeh. “Today I and my entire family came to provide support to the Palestinian people and to consolidate the first Arab cause in the souls of my children.” Syrian university student Yahya Shaher, 18, said: “We are here to support our brothers. We are one and victory is ours.” — AFP (