"When I wear the uniform of Palestine, I represent all types of Palestinian people. From the Gaza, from the West Bank, from the 48 (Israel), from the diaspora. All of them".
The speaker is Rami Hamadeh, the Palestinian national team goalkeeper. After ten years in Palestinian football, this week Rami moved to the other side of the green-line, and signed for Bnei Sakhnin, the famous Arab-Israeli team, who just won promotion back to the Israeli Premier League.
Rami is already the third Fidai that leaves Palestinian football in the past months after Shadi Shaaban and Abdallah Jaber. Upon his signing in an Israeli club, his career with Palestine national team is in doubt, as players who move to play in Israel are not being called again for the Fidai.
After his signature, Rami has found the time to speak with BabaGol, about his career, experiences and dreams.
Rami Hamadeh in Asian Cup 2019. (Fadi Marek©)
Marhaba ya Rami. Thanks for taking the time to speak. Not many are aware that you grew up in Israeli football. First in the youth of Shefa-'Amr, after that in Maccabi Netanya.
Yes. I started at my city's team, Shabab Shefa-'Amr. Then, when I was barely 15, I got an offer from Maccabi Netanya to join their youth department. It was a bit of a difficult transition, it was a hustle, but I made it.
You moved to Palestinian football at a very young age. 16! What led to this move?
After a year in Netanya, Khalil Shamea, a coach who had contacts in Palestine, offered me to represent the Palestinian youth team. I started going to the team's practices, without saying a word to my coach in Netanya. Then, there was a tournament in the UAE. I had to fly with the national team. So I went and to my coach in Netanya and told him: I have this and this and that... I was afraid he would say no, but he told me: "Sure. It's good. It's for coexistence. Go for it". So I did.
How did it go?
It was my first ever flight, I had a really good tournament, and I loved the atmosphere. Being a selected as a goalkeeper, even if it's for the youth team, it's something beautiful, you know. It's something that I'm very proud of it. When I played in the first team game, I had goosebumps. Seriously. I felt that I am on MY team. It was such a good feeling.
Then what?
Then I went back to Netanya and continued the season. At the end of the year, Khalil Shama, the Palestinian national team's goalkeepers told me: "Come and play here. In the Palestinian League". So I thought about it, spoke with my parents - as I was only 16 years old back then, and decided to go and play in Palestine.
You've started at Thagafi Tulkarem, that back then was playing at the Ihtiraf al-Jizi'i, the second division.
It was something new for me, to play in the seniors at this age, it was scary at first too. Suddenly I am a first goalie in a senior team, that want to win promotion, it was a bit of responsibility there. And this is my first year there I must give everything.
And you did. Thagafi won the promotion, and in the national team, you played against the Brazilian Olympic team!
Yes. It was a friendly tournament in Qatar. It was my breakout kind of game. After this match, everyone in Palestine knew who I am. I got to call up to the first national team, al-Fidai, becoming the youngest goalkeeper ever to do so.
Club-wise, you moved to Shabab al-Khader, then came back to Thgafi and in the past three seasons you played for Hilal al-Quds.
The Al-Khader spell wasn't the best time for me in the personal system. The system was right there, but I wasn't at my best. With Thai, I always felt at home, so I gained my form back there. At Hilal Al-Quds, it was a dream come true. We qualified for the AFC Cup group stages, playing teams like Al-Wehdat, playing at the Mohammed V Stadium Raja Casablanca in the Arab Club Championship. These are memories I'll take with me for life.
Hamadeh, before Palestine against Jordan in Asian Cup 2019. (Fadi Marek©)
But I know that not everything was easy. Life in the Palestinian league is not always simple.
On different occasions, when we were on our way to a game, and there are roadblocks, they (the army) could stop us for an hour, an hour and a half. I do not know why and do not understand why. I still do not know why.
You are an Israeli citizen as well. What did they tell you?
"what are you doing here?" - I'm a football player. - "Why did you come to play here?" It's no one's matter. I'm playing here - "OK, stand aside".
So I did stand for an hour and a half, and then someone came and told us, "go on".
That's tough. Do you think about it when you represent Palestine on the international level?
It's something that gives you strength. Every player who goes through it, it provides him with power. You know why? It's because all that - we're progressing. You remember those moments, the stressful situations, when you want to push yourself up, you remember these things. What does not kill you, it empowers you. It strengthens you. That's how it goes.
You were a part of the Fidai in huge matches, such as against Algeria and Saudi Arabia.
I will never forget these moments. When we landed in Algiers, the reception was unreal. The love between the Algerians and Palestinians is something unbelievable. And against Saudi? It was a big day. We should have won it.
You played in Asian Cup 2019. How was the experience to play in such an essential tournament in front of the whole continent?
Before the game against Syria, Coach Nourredin Ould Ali showed us a video with our parents, friends and families supporting us from home. We saw the video before the game, so we went into the match playing for these people. We played for my mother, for Abdallah's [Jaber] father, and the brothers and sisters of other players. We played for all the Palestinian people, who also want a reason to rejoice. To feel happy, to experience something that will make them happy. So we gave everything we had in that game. Even with the red card (Mohamed Saleh), we gave a good match. It indeed ended 0-0, and we could have won, but you know it's the first game, so it was exciting. The main thing was not to lose, and we gained it with a lot of pride.
After a decade in Palestinian football, you just signed for Bnei Sakhnin, the most prominent Arab club of Israeli football.
Yes, it is a big step for me. It's a fresh start, a new destination. I must take with two hands. I had more options, but I thought that this place suites me the most. None of the teams spoke to me as Sakhnin did, and I'm super excited. Israeli Premier League is a whole different adventure.
Many outlets in Israel already quoted you as saying you are "excited to play against Beitar Jerusalem".
I haven't talked about Beitar Jerusalem with no one. I respect any team in any league, and I didn’t comment on this topic to anybody. These headlines are simply false.
Finally, there is this sensitive question. Usually, players who left the Palestinian league to the Israeli Premier League didn't get the call to join the Fidai ever again. Does it mean we won't see you at the Fidai any more?
Look, there is no rule that will prevent me from representing my national team again, but at the same time, I won't do anything against my new team’s will. I will respect them in this matter. If my club will approve me to do so, and the Palestinian FA will call, it will be a big thing. I hope it will happen. The national team is very important to me. Inchallah. Only god knows.
A Fidai no matter what. Hamadeh (Screenshot)
