STANDING AT THE GATE- FOOTBALL, ISRAELIS AND ARABS 1917-1948

Although the modern football game was born in England, and especially in its privileged schools, it is quickly spreading to all parts of the world. Omer Einav, author of the book Standing in the Gate, tells us that the popular soccer game reached the borders of the Land of Israel back in the days of the Ottoman Empire. With that, there is no doubt that the occupation of the country by the British in 1917 and the introduction of the Mandate regime caused a dramatic turn in the status and place of the game. The British authorities hoped that the game would be a means of bringing hearts together between the communities in the country, away from politics and national conflicts. Their hope was disappointed, and in many days they too did not hesitate to use the game as a tool to promote a policy of the best rules of divide and rule. Jews and Arabs met on the fields and played football, but both sides had great difficulty keeping the sectarian and national differences off the field. Indeed, t