Algerians give roaring support for Palestine at Mediterranean Games

Algerians made their support for Palestine heard loud and clear as the Mediterranean Games began on Saturday.

The sporting event, which this year is being held in Algeria’s second city of Oran, takes place every four years and in 2022 features disciplines such as athletics, boxing, football and judo.

Thousands shouted “Palestine, the martyrs” while Palestinian national flags were displayed, pan-Arab news website Arabi 21 reported.

This slogan is commonly heard at football matches in Algeria, and this time rang out at the opening ceremony of the 19th Mediterranean Games, which are set to close on 6 July and include countries such as Egypt, Turkey and Portugal.

Videos of the chanting uploaded to YouTube showed Algerian national flags were also being waved.

Citizens of the North African country pride themselves on their support for Palestine, particularly as many other Arab states have established an official relationship with Israel.

In late 2020, towards the end of then-President Donald Trump’s term as US president, countries including the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan agreed to normalise ties with Israel in deals known as the Abraham Accords.

Morocco, Algeria’s neighbour and key regional rival, was among those who agreed to normalisation, while earlier this month Tunisia strongly denied reports it too was in talks on regularising relations with Israel.