Fifa Arab Cup: Algeria beats Morocco, celebrates waving Palestinian flag

An Algerian player raised the Palestinian flag on the field following his team's victory against Morocco in the FIFA Arab Cup on Friday. The Algerian team beat Morocco at the penalties to qualify for the semi-finals, where it will face Qatar.

#Algerian football player waves the Palestine flag after the win of #Algeria against #Morocco in the FIFA Arab Cup #Qatar 2021 #Palestine #FreePalestine #FreeThemAll #HumanRights #StopOppression #StopViolence pic.twitter.com/0s3Fe14Ktc

— therealabdulrahman (@abdulrahmaan189) December 12, 2021

Footage of the gesture was widely shared on social media, attracting praise from many supporters of the Palestinian cause.

Algerian players frequently raise the Palestinian flag alongside theirs, a sign of support that Palestinian football players sometimes return. In November, players of a Palestinian football club wore the Algerian flag during a Palestinian first division match.

Friday's game took place against the backdrop of increasing tensions between Algeria and Morocco over the disputed Western Sahara, which has also shaped Morocco's stand on the Palestinian cause. Morocco recently agreed to develop formal ties with Israel in exchange for US recognition of Western Sahara as part of the kingdom.

Moroccan police has since cracked down against protesters at a pro-Palestine rally.

Contrasting with its Moroccan rival, Algeria has publicly reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian cause and pledged $100 million in aid to the Palestinians last week during an official visit of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Algiers.

Algeria is also to host the next Arab League summit in March 2022, where the Palestinian cause will be at the centre of the agenda - amid a string of US-brokered normalisation deals with the Israel.