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matchthefineforpalestine

13th October update - Final 24 hours for donations

I'd like to apologise for taking so long to provide an update, things have been moving along at a hectic pace since this page was launched.

In the end, Celtic FC were fined €10,000 (£8,619) by UEFA, a smaller amount than 2 years ago for the same offence. The cynic in me suggests that the publicity of this campaign played a large part in that. What started out as a fan led initiative in exposing the hypocrisy of UEFA's "no politics in football" mantra quickly spiralled into a viral, worldwide campaign which as of this morning has raised £173 495 to be split between two charities who provide crucial services to the Palestinian people.

I would like to thank everyone who has shared this page all over social media, to those who have donated no matter what the amount, public figures who have donated prizes to the campaign to raise funds and who have brought it worldwide audiences like Pink Floyds Roger Waters.

Donations will officially cease at 11pm on Friday the 14th of October(UK time) so you have a little over 24 hours to get the word out and bring in more donations.

In regards to the handover of the money, after discussing with all parties, MAP will be withdrawing all the funds (minus GFM fees) directly from the account and will distribute an equal half to Lajee.

As mentioned in my previous update representatives of Lajee have applied for Visa's to come to Glasgow to formally accept the money with a cheque handover. As with most Palestinians visas are extremely hard to obtain and we are working to resolve this as soon as possible. We are looking to organise a small ceremony outside Celtic Park before a home game in the next month or so where both MAP and Lajee will be presented with cheques outside of the stadium. Once we have final details they will be posted on this page and all relevant social media platforms and hope you will join us in celebrating this great campaign.

For now, let’s get #matchthefineforpalestine trending again and bring in as much as we can over the next 24 hours!



Update - Tuesday 6th of Septmber 2016 - 12.15am

#matchthefineforpalestine – let’s make it £188,800!

Today we launch one final, fitting target of £188 800. Formed in 1888 by Irish immigrants to feed the poor and needy of Glasgow’s east end, Celtic Football Club has always been a club like no other. The incredible response to this appeal has only further proved that.

We launched this appeal in the hope of raising £15,000 to provide basic medical supplies to conflict-hit Gaza and some football kit to enable the young people of Aida refugee camp in the West Bank to start up a team. Instead, the amazing generosity of Celtic fans (and many others, including some who have now adopted our club as their own) means that the original target (and many others) have been smashed and that this appeal will not only save lives but change them.

One of those kind folk backing the campaign is the reigning British lightweight boxing champion Scott Cardle who has donated 2 VIP access tickets to his next title defence at the SSE Hydro on the 7th of October 2016 in Glasgow, Scotland. The lucky winner will gain VIP access to the weigh in, excellent seats next to the ring and entry to the after party. These tickets ordinarily cost £200 each and we are very grateful to #TeamCardle for providing these tickets with all proceeds going towards the #matchthefineforpalestine campaign. Details on how to enter and have a chance at winning these tickets can be found by following the man himself on twitter @ScottyCardle

This campaign will close on the 30th of September 2016 and we will be presenting cheques to representatives of both organisations, hopefully at a home Celtic game shortly after the campaign ends. Further details will be provided once confirmed.

I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank everyone for their generosity and continued support. Every penny donated, every article shared will help in some shape or form to highlight the plight of the Palestinian people and let them know that they are not forgotten!






Update - Wednesday 24th of August 2016 - 6.30pm

So....the past 72 hours have been crazy. From an initial target of £15k we currently sit at £140 531 donated towards MAP and the Lajee Centre from Aida Camp, Bethlehem. The response have been overwhelming to say the least, not just from Celtic supporters from fans of teams all over the world, and even non-football fans. The #matchthefineforpalestine campaign has tuly captured the imagination of people all over the world.

Many people have got in touch to say they intend to donate after being paid at the end of the month and asking to be given the chance to do so. This campaign has always intended to remain open at the very least until UEFA confirm the punishment they deem fit for the flying of a flag which they describe as "illicit". We will announce with plenty of notice when the campaign will close so folk will have enough time to donate if they are unable to so right at this moment in time.

 With the rate of donations slowing as we expected, we we have raised the target to £150k to take us through until the 22nd of September 2016 when the UEFA decision is decided upon.

Should the £150k target be broken quickly then we will review the target if required.

Thank you for all your support and please continue to spread the word of #matchthefineforpalestine far and wide.




#matchthefineforpalestine


We, the Green Brigade, are the passionate Ultra fans of Celtic Football Club, Scotland’s most famous and successful football team. At the Champions League match with Hapoel Beer Sheva on 17 August 2016, the Green Brigade and fans throughout Celtic Park flew the flag for Palestine. This act of solidarity has earned our club respect and acclaim throughout the world. It has also attracted a disciplinary charge from UEFA, which deems the Palestinian flag to be an ‘illicit banner’

In response to this petty and politically partisan act by European football’s governing body, we are determined to make a positive contribution to the game and today launch a campaign to #matchthefineforpalestine. We aim to raise £75,000 which will be split equally between Medical Aid Palestine (MAP) and the Lajee Centre, a Palestinian cultural centre in Aida Refugee Camp on the outskirts of Bethlehem. From our members’ experiences as volunteers in Palestine we know the huge importance of both organisations’ work and have developed close contacts with them.

MAP is a UK-based charity which delivers health and medical care to Palestinians worst affected by conflict, occupation and displacement. Working in partnership with local health care providers and hospitals, MAP provides vital public health and emergency response services. This includes training and funding a team of Palestinian surgeons and medics to treat and operate on those affected by the recent conflict in the Gaza Strip.

MAP has publicly thanked the Celtic support and all who have donated for their support. You can read their statement and find out more about their incredible work on their website: http://www.map-uk.org/home/homepage (their statement is available here: http://www.map-uk.org/news/archive/post/43...r-palestinians).
All funds raised for Medical Aid Palestine will go to mending broken limbs in Gaza and other vitally important projects in the Occupied Territories and Palestinian refugee camps.

Aida is one of 19 refugee camps in the West Bank and has for 66 years played temporary home to Palestinians forcibly expelled from their homes in Hebron and Jerusalem. Its residents live in the shadow of Israel’s apartheid wall, cut off from social and economic opportunities by the wall and neighbouring illegal settlements and military checkpoints.

For the young people of Aida, the Lajee Centre in the heart of the camp offers hope and an escape from the realities of life under Israeli occupation. Its programme of arts, culture and sporting activities are a lifeline for its impoverished and oppressed people.

Last year, the Centre built Aida’s only football pitch. Residents had previously played on recreation ground that has now been stolen by the wall. Within months of opening, the new pitch was severely damaged by tear gas canisters fired onto it by the Israeli military. It is now protected by metal netting.

Funds raised will provide a much needed boost to this fantastic project and will allow the Lajee Centre to extend its arts, dance and football programmes. As a token of their appreciation, the Centre have committed to setting up and sustaining the camp’s first ever football club and to name it Aida Celtic.

Aida Celtic will enter the Bethlehem Youth League at the start of 2017 and will host a tournament for teams from all of the West Bank’s refugee camps in Spring next year. Your generosity will also allow the Centre to buy a minibus for use in transporting Aida Celtic to matches and its other groups around Palestine.

Salah Ajarma, the Lajee Centre’s Coordinator told us the importance Aida Celtic will have for residents of the camp: “it will mean so much to our young people to be part of an official team, to have boots and strips and to represent the camp wearing the colours of our friends. Aida Celtic will be a source of pride for all in Aida”.

You can hear more from Aida’s young people and the volunteers at the Lajee Centre here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdm09DOieHc

We have been overwhelmed by the early response to this appeal and have set a new target of £75,000. Any money raised above this sum will continue to be split on an equal basis between MAP and the Lajee Centre, and will go some way to mending the broken limbs and damaged lives of the displaced and deprived people of Palestine.

At the end of the fundraising drive we will present representatives of both organisations with a cheque for their share in Glasgow.

Let’s #matchthefineforpalestine and show the footballing establishment the true spirit of the game.

Organizer

Green Brigade
Organizer

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