[Ma'anImages]

Bethlehem – Ma’an – The Beit Jala Lions may be the first all-Palestinian rugby team in history. Practically all the players, ranging from high school and university students to hard-working bartenders, are from Beit Jala.

In October 2007 a group of Beit Jalan youngsters came up with the idea of starting a rugby team. Gabor, a Hungarian student, is the coach and one of the only foreigners on the team. Before coming to Palestine, he played in the Hungary National Rugby Team and the Chobham Rugby Club in England. He was impressed with how quickly this new Palestinian team caught on to the basics of the game. “We’ll be on the international level in no time,” Gabor stated optimistically.

The coach is by no means alone in his aspirations. All the members recognize that Rugby has the potential of conveying them beyond the hideous, Israeli-built wall onto the international stage. The wall, which separates the Bethlehem area not only from Jerusalem, but the rest of the world, is literally within meters from the Al-Khadir International Stadium where the team members meet for their Sunday training. Indeed it offers a vivid picture to the special circumstances surrounding the team’s early stages.

“We want this team to be a success to show that Palestinians aren't different from the rest of the world," said team member Nicola Fuad, a high school student. Another player, Pari Gedeon, echoed Nicola’s words, adding, “Rugby’s one of the few things that give us hope to expand beyond this barrier.”

A country, like Palestine, that has never seen a homegrown rugby team before has a right to be optimistic about its first team. The BJ Lions' prowess advanced since last October to such a degree that they are ready to take on the Jordanians in Amman this coming April. The team will soon become a member of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union, which is responsible for organising rugby throughout the Gulf region.

“I see so much potential for this team,” Gabor said. “Here we have a group of young men plagued by economic hardships, just dying to release their energy. What better and more useful way than by rugby!” He elaborated his theory further, stating that this particular sport is a peaceful means of releasing pent-up anger. “We have lot’s of energy but no place to let it out”, continued Nicola for the coach.

The team members hope to inspire fellow Palestinians to take up their example. There are, however, many impediments for anyone hoping to get a team started, the most obvious being the lack of suitable stadiums. The BJ Lions were lucky enough to have the nearby Al-Khadir International Stadium at their disposal. With only two other major stadiums in Palestine – an international one in Jericho and a smaller one in Qalqilia – most other Palestinian young people do not even have the resources or the facilities to start a team.

The band of Beit Jalans knows the harsh reality of the economic and political situation, yet they are willing to put all their efforts towards making the team a success. Most important for them is that they have fun playing a rough and tumble game. At least 12 regular members show up for the intense training twice a week. Not only are they encouraged by the prospect of being part of a successful team, but of escaping the monotonous routine of working in restaurants, bars and fish-shops, or breaking one’s head over the inconsistencies of English grammar in high school.

“If it weren’t for rugby, the only thing I would do all day is sit behind the bar, serving drinks and smoking cigarettes,” team player George Maria said. “Rugby is the first professional sport I’ve ever played. I’m so happy and grateful that I have the opportunity to play here, otherwise there would really be nothing to do in this town,” he added.

While having fun, the BJ Lions will never give up hope of someday playing in the annual Dubai Rugby 7s, where the world's top 16 rugby 7s teams compete for the championship. And why shouldn’t these robust and highly motivated young men achieve this goal? As Apo, one of the high school players, proudly put it: “Our presence will be known and our courage will be shown!”