Abbas Suan
Encyclopedia
Abbas Suan is an Arab
-Israel
i footballer from Sakhnin
in the Galilee
. As a footballer he was considered by many as one of the best Arab-Israeli players.
He became a national hero in 2006 for scoring the game-tying goal in the 90th minute of a World Cup qualifying match against Ireland
.
In 2006, Suan signed a two year contract with Maccabi Haifa but later moved to Premier League newcomers Ironi Kiryat Shmona. He returned to play for his original club Bnei Sakhnin.
On August 29, 2005 Suan was featured in an exposé in Sports Illustrated
by Grant Wahl
into the minorities that play on the Israel national football team
. Suan has been the target of racism at football matches in Israel. During a match between Bnei Sakhnin and Betar Jerusalem, Betar fans waved a giant banner saying "Suan, you don't represent us", and shouted, “We hate all Arabs.”
Suan is also a featured subject of the documentary film "After The Cup:Sons of Sakhnin United" which chronicled the team and Suan's life after winning the Israeli national cup.
Aside from his club contract, he has many endorsement deals. Suan currently is the spokesperson for Subaru
motor vehicles in Israel
.
Although a devout Muslim
, Suan has no trouble embracing Jewish culture in Israel. However, he has a mixed sense of identity, saying that "I am a Palestinian because I have a lot of brothers and cousins in the Arab countries. And I am Israeli because I live here and don't go out of my lands." During international football matches, Suan is one of two Arab players who refuses to sing during the playing of Hatikvah
, Israel's national anthem, because it mentions only Jews
. He was featured in a Journeyman Pictures
documentary on Arab citizens of Israel.
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
-Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i footballer from Sakhnin
Sakhnin
Sakhnin is a city in Israel's North District. It is located in the Lower Galilee, about east of Acre. Sakhnin was declared a city in 1995. Its population of 25,100 is Arab, mostly Muslim with a sizable Christian minority. It is located on the site of the ancient Jewish town Sikhnin, which...
in the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
. As a footballer he was considered by many as one of the best Arab-Israeli players.
He became a national hero in 2006 for scoring the game-tying goal in the 90th minute of a World Cup qualifying match against Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
.
In 2006, Suan signed a two year contract with Maccabi Haifa but later moved to Premier League newcomers Ironi Kiryat Shmona. He returned to play for his original club Bnei Sakhnin.
On August 29, 2005 Suan was featured in an exposé in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
by Grant Wahl
Grant Wahl
Grant Wahl is an American sports journalist who is best known for being a writer for Sports Illustrated. He is also the author of the controversial book, The Beckham Experiment.-Career:...
into the minorities that play on the Israel national football team
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
. Suan has been the target of racism at football matches in Israel. During a match between Bnei Sakhnin and Betar Jerusalem, Betar fans waved a giant banner saying "Suan, you don't represent us", and shouted, “We hate all Arabs.”
Suan is also a featured subject of the documentary film "After The Cup:Sons of Sakhnin United" which chronicled the team and Suan's life after winning the Israeli national cup.
Aside from his club contract, he has many endorsement deals. Suan currently is the spokesperson for Subaru
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
motor vehicles in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Although a devout Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, Suan has no trouble embracing Jewish culture in Israel. However, he has a mixed sense of identity, saying that "I am a Palestinian because I have a lot of brothers and cousins in the Arab countries. And I am Israeli because I live here and don't go out of my lands." During international football matches, Suan is one of two Arab players who refuses to sing during the playing of Hatikvah
Hatikvah
"Hatikvah" is the national anthem of Israel. The anthem was written by Naphtali Herz Imber, a secular Galician Jew from Zolochiv , who moved to the Land of Israel in the early 1880s....
, Israel's national anthem, because it mentions only Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
. He was featured in a Journeyman Pictures
Journeyman Pictures
Journeyman Pictures is an English independent distributor of topical news features, documentaries and footage. The company publishes "The Journeyman Weekly" and has an archive of over 3,000 films...
documentary on Arab citizens of Israel.
Honours
- Israel State CupIsrael State CupThe State Cup , is a knockout cup competition in Israeli football, run by the Israeli Football Association.The State Cup was first held in 1927–28 as the Palestine Cup...
:- Winners (1): 2003-04
- Liga LeumitLiga LeumitLiga Leumit is the second tier in the Israeli football league system below the Premier League.-Structure:There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the lowest-placed team are relegated to Liga Alef while the highest-placed team from Liga Alef are promoted in their place...
:- Runner-up (1): 2002–03