Arab-Israeli Soccer Players Should Embrace Their Identity, Says Biram Kayal

Biram Kayal, a former Israeli national soccer player and current official with the Israel Football Association, has spoken out about the complexities of being an Arab in Israeli society and sports. In an interview with the BBC, Kayal, who is responsible for developing soccer within the Arab community in Israel, stated that being Arab in Israel can be difficult and sometimes a struggle, with Arabs not always starting from the same point as Jewish Israelis.

Despite these challenges, Kayal expressed optimism for a pluralistic future for Israel, seeing soccer as a tool to achieve this. He recalled his playing days, highlighting the camaraderie between himself and Jewish teammates like Tomer Hemed, emphasizing that on the field, "you never look at color, culture, or religion." He believes that in soccer, the focus is on having the best players to win.

Kayal also addressed the impact of the 2018 Nation-State Law, which diminished Arabic's official status. He noted that the Football Association initiated Hebrew lessons for Arabic-speaking coaches to help them obtain certifications. However, Kayal asserted his role within the association is to bring Arab culture to the table. He encourages Arab players joining national teams to "speak your language, don't be afraid, don't be ashamed to speak, don't be afraid to express yourselves."

Kayal concluded by stating that Israel is a young country that needs to learn from its own "DNA," embracing the differences between Jews, Circassians, Arabs, Muslims, Christians, and Druze, and uniting these diverse elements to improve. The BBC article also touched upon various other aspects of Israeli-Arab soccer relations, including historical figures, team controversies, and the impact of conflict on the sport.