As the flag flies

Israeli flavour in Ghana win

The Hindu: Football lovers here were in for a pleasant surprise when Ghana defender John Pantsil waved the Israeli national flag to celebrate the goals scored by his teammates against the Czech Republic at the World Cup.

Pantsil, who plays for Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv, pulled out the blue-and-white flag from his socks after the strikes by Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari which saw the 'Black Stars' upset the Czechs 2-0 yesterday.

Sources at Hapoel Tel Aviv told local daily 'Jerusalem Post' that the Ghanaian had promised to perform the act if his team scored in the World Cup. Pentsil is one of three Ghana international squad members who play for Israeli soccer teams.

Israel failed to make it to the World Cup Finals after finishing third in its European qualifying group.

Gyan's second minute score was not only the first by any Ghanaian at World Cup, but the quickest goal of the tournament so far this year and the fastest African goal in World Cup history.

Scenes of ecstasy and jubilation were witnessed in all parts of the West African country when the final whistle blew in Cologne. "The eruption, some senior citizens said, reminded them of when Ghana attained independence in 1957," the 'Accra Daily Mail' said.

Maybe someday Israel's neighbors will allow it to move from the European qualifing group to the Asian group.

Pantsil helps show there is more to life in Israel

Jerusalem Post: What was most impressive about what Pantsil did was the purity of his intentions.

Explaining his actions the defender told one Israeli sports Website: "I love the fans in Israel. I have played at Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv and the fans always made me happy so I wanted to make them happy."

That was it. Pure and simple. ...

There's no doubt that Israel is a state fraught with controversy and problems.

But on Saturday, one Ghanaian showed the whole world there is more to life here.

It's amazing how much this gesture meant to Israelis... the comments attached to the Post story are touching, but also sad. There's a lot of bad about Israel, but no more so than any other country; and there's a lot more good there than in most countries.

Israelis try; they try to make their democracy better, they try to tell their story to the world, they try to get along with their neighbors, they try to find a way out of their death spiral with the Palestinians.

Usually they fail; but as the U.S. is finding out in America, when you're surrounded by people who want to kill you sometimes it's all you can do to restrain your own worst impulses.

World Cup Diary / It's not our celebration

Assaf Gefen in Haaretz: Paintsil's celebratory act was innocent and colorful until it was pasted over with Zionist cliches and became a parody of national pride. Tal Brody can sue over the appropriation of his coinage "We are on the map." What bothers me is the appropriation of anything with a whiff of an Israeli connection as a "national achievement" - shamelessly and unconnected to reality.

Because if we insist on giving an Israeli connection and meaning to Paintsil's celebrations, one could think of some more realistic alternatives. For example Paintsil's fellow countrymen, and other Africans, may not have lifted the Israeli flag but have been working here for years, and are subjected to inhuman treatment from us. Paintsil's partner was no exception - she was deported before being allowed back after someone at Maccabi Tel Aviv made a phone call. Paintsil and other African players receive VIP treatment from Israeli fans, including monkey calls and thrown bananas.

Before we jump on the Ghana bandwagon, we should perhaps stop to think and remember that it isn't our celebration.

Isn't democracy and a (mostly) free press great? You find out all sorts of things; and cheap sentiment usually falls by the wayside.

Ghana Sorry for Israeli Flag Gaffe

IslamOnline.net: Ghana's World Cup team apologized Monday, June 19, after defender John Pantsil waved an Israeli flag to celebrate his team's goals in their match against the Czech Republic.

"It was naive, he was not aware of the consequences of his actions. We apologize to everyone who felt offended by this," Ghana team spokesman Randy Abbey said at the team's training base, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP). ...

Pantsil's flag-waving sparked a barrage of insults and furious reactions across the Arab world, especially in Middle East heavyweight Egypt.

"Egyptians supported the Ghanaian team all the way until the 82nd minute, and regretted it after the Israeli flag (waving)," screamed a bold red headline in the independent daily Al-Masry Al-Yom.

The live commentator on the Arab satellite channel broadcasting all World Cup matches in the region abruptly cut short his trademark "goooaaaaaaal" when Pantsil brought out the flag.

"What are you doing, man?" the bewildered commentator said.

Some Arab papers described 25-year-old Pantsil as a "Mossad agent," others said "an Israeli had paid him to do it."

But the most elaborate theory was offered by the top-selling state-owned daily Al-Ahram.

Prominent sports analyst Hassan El-Mestekawi wrote that many Ghanaian players attend football training camps set up by an Israeli coach who "discovered the treasure of African talent, and abused the poverty of the continent's children" with the ultimate goal of selling them off to European clubs.

Egyptian football fans were equally rattled when the player produced the Israeli flag.

"We were totally supporting Ghana and we were so excited by how well they were doing," Ashraf el-Berri told AFP.

"We were screaming with joy, but the whole room went quiet when Pantsil took out the flag. We didn't really know how to react," he said. ...

Egypt, Jordan and more recently Mauritania are the only Arab countries with full diplomatic ties with Israel

It's interesting how Saddam Hussein dragged his country into the mud, but Anwar Sadat pulled his out. Looks like Ghana needs a leader like Pantsil.

Ghana: The Uproar Over Paintsil's Israeli Flag Waving

Ghanian Chronicle: Ghanaian international, John Paintsil says his act in waving the Israeli flag to acknowledge the cheers from the fans after Ghana's two goals against the Czech Republic last Saturday, was just in appreciation for his fans in Israel and nothing else.

Speaking to The Chronicle, the Hapoel Tel Aviv defender explained that before the said match, he had a passionate prayer seeking a good game and total victory for the nation, believing God was answering his prayers, hence his decision to waive the flag to his fans.

"I looked at the flag and prayed to God for victory and truly God did; so it was a sign of appreciation to my God and fans in Israel".

Best part--his God's probably different than that of most Israelis, but in this case, G*d delivered for both.

Uncredited AP photo of Paintsil via the Jerusalem Post.