Goals from Galilee ~ Hardback ~ Jerrold Kessel

The Arab village of Sakhnin in Galilee may have only 25,000 citizens, but it does have is its own football team, The Sons of Sahhnin, with a Jewish manager and several Jewish players in its mainly Arab squad. When, against all odds, it won Israel's State Cup, becoming Champions of Israel and the country's UEFA Cup entrant for the following year, it caused a sensation. And when its star midfield player and captain, Abbas Suan, scored a fabulous last-minute 'magical goal' for Israel against Ireland in the World Cup, keeping Israel's Cup dreams alive, Abbas became a national hero. The sight of thousands of cheering Palestinian Arabs waving the blue and white flag of Israel makes even hardened Middle Eastern observers do a double take. Could a game of football achieve what politicians on all sides had been struggling for years to deliver - a truly integrated society? Could the cardinal issues of identity, equality and coexistence be squared into one round ball? The Sons of Sakhnin are a team in harmony, in pursuit of their dream to play football and win acceptance - more than a club 'a family', in the words of its manager. However, despite their astonishing victory and achievements the Sons themselves still struggle for survival in Israel's Premier League, handicapped by the fact that despite many promises they still do not possess their own ground. This powerful and moving book follows their fortunes through the seasons, showing how these often mirror those of the larger, intense, complex society of the country in which they live, and play.