Palestinian karateka aims for world glory from West Bank after Asian Games exit

Palestinian karateka Mahmoud Daifallah is aiming for glory on the world stage but has no intention of leaving the Israeli-occupied West Bank to train despite the hardships of the conflict.

“I hope to get a gold medal in the world championships one day,” said Daifallah, who finished fifth in the men’s 67kg kumite at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan.

Born in Ramallah, the 24-year-old began karate at age seven during the summer school holidays at a neighbourhood dojo. He now works as an engineer after studying mechanical engineering at university.

Training conditions changed sharply after the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas began in 2023. The Palestinian delegation said the conflict has destroyed many sports facilities for Palestinians and claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people in the sports community.

Movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli military have also weighed heavily on his opportunities to travel in search of sparring partners, leaving Daifallah with fewer opportunities for competition bouts. But he said he will remain in the West Bank because it is his ancestral homeland.

Daifallah took an early lead against Uzbekistan’s Abdul Vakhkhob Rashidov, who later won the gold medal, in the quarter-finals on Sept 21. He missed Palestine’s first men’s karate medal at the Asian Games after losing the bronze medal bout later in the day.

“Next time, I’ll get a medal and make Palestinian people happy,” he said. KYODO NEWS