With sincerity and spontaneity, that legend of Egyptian football embodied the noblest meanings of belonging by raising the Palestinian flag alongside the Egyptian flag, giving genuine expression to the Egyptian conscience. His act was no fleeting political gesture; rather, it was a reflection of the emotions that fill the hearts of millions in solidarity with their brothers and sisters who are being subjected to annihilation.
The small minority that departed from the Arab national consensus by condemning his action and echoing the angry Israeli position are overlooking a fundamental truth: the Palestinian cause is an inseparable part of Egypt’s national and pan-Arab identity. Egypt has always been Palestine’s foremost supporter and a steadfast defender of the rights of its people. If raising the Egyptian flag is a patriotic duty, then raising the Palestinian flag is simply a natural extension of that duty. It is the practical expression of a shared destiny and common sentiment, and a sincere affirmation of Egypt’s Arab identity which no political arrangement can erase.
From this understanding stems Egypt’s firm rejection of any attempt to dissolve the Palestinian cause through the displacement of the Palestinian people to neighbouring countries. It is out of this same conviction that Hossam Hassan’s gesture emerged, expressing — at the popular level — an enduring sense of belonging. His voice was the voice of millions who see Palestine as an extension of themselves and whose sense of dignity is bound to its triumph.
Today, the Palestinian flag is raised across the world. How, then, can anyone object to Egyptians raising it as well? If it is entirely natural and appropriate for Hossam Hassan to raise the Egyptian flag, as he rightly did, then it is equally natural and appropriate for him to raise the Palestinian flag. For those who understand the realities of the Arab world, the two flags are, in essence, one. Those who seek to separate them are chasing an illusion.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 16 July, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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