Palestine soccer team plays at home before ecstatic fans...

Normally, a friendly soccer match between teams ranked 112th and 180th in the world wouldn't be much occasion for excitement.

But Sunday's face-off between the Jordanian and Palestinian national teams was far more than a soccer match. It was the first time the Palestinian side had played in the West Bank -- in effect its first actual home game after years of playing as the home team in Jordan and other neighboring Arab countries.

For the players and fans who packed into a newly built stadium, the match was a passionate display of nationalism and a welcome relief from the daily rigors of four decades of occupation.

"We're representing a nation. We're representing a flag," Palestinian coach Izzat Hamza said. "We have to defend our flag."

The outcome of the match (a 1-1 tie) seemed secondary to the mere fact that it was taking place -- and where. The stadium, which isn't finished, stands within 200 yards of a massive concrete barrier built by Israel. More...

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