Jordanian teen Abdullah Shelbayh makes a strong political statement in support of Palestine at the Moselle Open prior to his match against Lorenzo Sonego 

The teenager came out to the Center Court wearing Palestinian Kufiya.

Jordanian teen Abdullah Shelbayh makes a strong political statement in support of Palestine at the Moselle Open prior to his match against Lorenzo Sonego 

Abdullah Shelbayh dons Palestine Kufiya (Images via X)

Jordanian teen Abdullah Shelbayh joined Ons Jabeur in expressing his support for war-affected Palestine as he made a strong statement at the Moselle Open. While Abdullah did not say anything like Jabeur, the 19-year-old Jordanian walked out to the Centre Court in Metz for his second-round match against Lorenzo Sonego wearing the Palestinian kufiya. 

Shelbayh did not utter a word but his donning the Palestinian kufiya clearly showed that he stood in solidarity with Palestine which has been at war against Israel for weeks now.

YouTube video

Although Abdullah lost to Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets (6-3, 7-5), the 19-year-old ensured he is remembered for his gesture. Abdullah Shelbayh wore the Palestinian kufiya while he walked out for his match. The pictures of the Jordanian wearing the authentic scarf have gone viral on social media. Check them out below.

FS Video
https://twitter.com/ReemAbulleil/status/1722346236622098832

The youngster earned praise for his gesture with people lauding Abdullah for his courage. 

Good for him!! The silence in tennis is deafening..especially considering how loud they were in their support of Ukraine.
A user wrote on X appluading Abdullah’s gesture.

What does Abdullah Shelbayh donning Palestinian kufiya mean?

Abdullah Shelbayh wearing the Palestinian kufiya clearly indicates that he sides with Palestine amid the Israel-Palestine conflict. But it is also important to understand why Abdullah chose a specific piece of clothing to show his support for the nation. This can be understood by knowing what importance a kufiya holds for Palestinians.

Abdullah-Shelbayh-Palestinian-kufiya
Abdullah Shelbayh wearing Palestinian kufiya (Image via X)

The Palestinian keffiyeh, also known as a “kufiya”, “hatta” or “shemagh” is a square meter scarf that originated in Iraq and spread throughout the Arab world as a traditional headdress worn in the Middle East and North African regions. However, upon reaching Palestine, its meaning and significance changed dramatically. It became more than a piece of clothing as it turned into a symbol of resistance.

The historical context to this is that during the Arab Revolt against British colonial rule in 1936, Palestinians used the keffiyeh to hide their identity from British authorities. After British authorities attempted to ban the keffiyeh, Palestinian civilians (regardless of their social class) began to wear it in a move of solidarity, making it harder for the opposition forces to pick out their fellow revolutionaries from the crowd.

Also, during the period when Israel had put a ban on the Palestinian flag (1967-1993), the keffiyeh took its place as a global expression of Palestinian identity. Hence, Abdullah Shelbayh wearing the kufiya holds much more weight than what it looks like.

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