Two villages, a cry

The Basque Country has once again demonstrated this Saturday in Bilbao that it is a country of solidarity, with 53,000 people gatheredin San Mamés , setting a record, and thousands of those who have followed the match between the Basque Selection and Palestine on television, radio and online. There are many years of ties, strong links between the two peoples, and at this very difficult time, Euskal Herria has sent a cry of solidarity to the Palestinian people, claiming their nationality and their official status.

The proclamation and the feast have coincided from the first hour of the morning in Bilbao, when the red, white and green colors have prevailed. The streets have been filled by Ikurriñas and Palestinian flags, especially the Old Town and the "Cathedral" area. It was the first time that the Palestinian men's team had played in Europe and a Euskal Selekzioa party had so many crowds.

During the morning,Israel paid tribute to the Palestinian athletes who died\ u00A0, at an event organized by the Solidarity with Palestine group . It is estimated that 1,300 elite athletes have been killed , including 894 Olympic athletes, and that 300 sports facilities have been destroyed.

The organizers have recalled that "for the fans of the Basque team, the day they play is always special, because we have the opportunity to watch them play, and it is a vindictive day, and these games are also to claim official status and express their support for the rest of the oppressed peoples."

The solidarity heartbeat has turned into a wave this afternoon on the main streetsofBilbao, with thousands of people taking to the streets to denounce the genocide and claim the officiality of the Basque selection. 

Inside the stadium, sirens have been heard warning of air strikesas Z grains entered. Thousands of Ikurriñas, Palestinian flags and necklaces have been stitched up in the stands while Palestinian groups Eñaut Elorrieta, Izaro and Soul Band sang Ken Zazpi's "Gernika."

When the players have gone out to the field, theyhave deployed a number of placards  in favor of officiality, calling for an end to the genocide and proclaiming peace. Therehas been a minute of silence for the victims.

Today, more than ever, both peoples have been bound by the right to exist. The game ended 3-0, but the result was minimal compared to the image of kinship and proclamation that has been seen around the world. 

All the money raised from solidarity tickets sold for today's meeting will go to the NGOMédecinssans Frontières  for health care for the Palestinians.

And in this context, the demand for official Basque selection has once again been supported by thousands of Basque citizens who have put on their green T-shirt and shouted aloud. This selection, born in 1915, continues to dream of being internationally recognized, as recently achieved by the federation of sokatira and Basque ball.