Here, Palestinian emblems \u2013 graffiti, keffiyeh patterns, tatreez embroidery and watermelons \u2013 appear nearly everywhere.<\/p>\n
The neighbourhood is nicknamed Little Palestine, but in reality, it is a melting pot of Arab-American and other immigrant communities from across the world.<\/p>\n
With the final taking place in neighbouring New Jersey<\/a>, World Cup fever is raging in Bay Ridge.<\/p>\n Palestinian restaurants, Yemeni cafes, Lebanese grocery stores and corner shops all have the flags of the participating teams displayed.<\/p>\n While the tournament has been a festival of football, Rimawi called it a \u201cpolitical summit\u201d.<\/p>\n So Spain, which recognised the State of Palestine in 2024 and has been a vocal critic of Israel\u2019s genocidal war on Gaza, is a natural choice for Arab fans, he argued.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know who Hossam Hassan<\/a> was,\u201d he said, referring to Egypt\u2019s head coach.<\/p>\n \u201cBut when he raised the Palestinian flag, I instantly became a fan.\u201d<\/p>\n Across 5th Avenue at Al Reef Bakery, Talal Abdraboh had a similar take.<\/p>\n He said Spain\u2019s support for Palestinians and the Arabs\u2019 presence in Andalusia for centuries make the team endearing to fans in the community.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not about bias against Argentina. If any team that\u2019s not Arab were facing Spain, we would support Spain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re for Spain with all our hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n The bakery has a large mural of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and another featuring a Palestinian woman baking with the words of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, \u201cI long for the bread of my mother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Arab community was immersed in this World Cup, especially when Arab teams were playing,\u201d Abdraboh told Al Jazeera as he cut a loaf of bread into vertical strips.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the Arab fans were raising the Palestinian flag. So, when any Arab team was playing, we were cheering for them as Palestinians.\u201d<\/p>\n A record eight Arab teams participated in the 2026 tournament, with Morocco going the farthest before losing to France in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n Egypt made it to the round of 16, but they crashed out after squandering a two-goal lead against Argentina amid a series of controversial refereeing decisions<\/a> that included ruling out an Egyptian goal for a soft foul in the build-up after a VAR review.<\/p>\n For many Arab New Yorkers, the tournament showcased the community\u2019s unity.<\/p>\n Mahmoud Kasem, the owner of Al-Aqsa Bakery, installed a large TV screen outside his restaurant and gave out free falafel for major Arab teams\u2019 matches, attracting people from across Bay Ridge.<\/p>\n \u201cNot everything is about business. I love soccer. Across the Arab world, we are infatuated with the game. I wanted to create a beautiful atmosphere as we do in Palestine. Put a TV outside and tell people, \u2018Come and watch,’\u201d Kasem told Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n \u201cThe beauty of it is seeing the Palestinians, the Lebanese, the Moroccans, the Jordanians, everyone get together. I love unity. I love community and being all together.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that he wishes Arab leaders would follow the example of people in the diaspora and eliminate borders and disputes.<\/p>\n Kasem said he convinced police officers who complained about his show partially closing down the street to drop their grievances, invoking the celebrations that took place across the city when the New York Knicks won the NBA championship<\/a>.<\/p>\n Like many people in Bay Ridge, Kasem is hoping for a Spanish win on Sunday. He highlighted Arab and Spanish cultural, linguistic and musical similarities and lauded the positions of the government in Madrid.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Palestine was bombed, they took a stance. When Lebanon was bombed, they took a stance,\u201d he told Al Jazeera. \u201cThey stand with humanity. They stand with freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n Kasem added that many Palestinians support Real Madrid and Barcelona in club football.<\/p>\n Beyond the Spanish government, many Spanish celebrities and footballers have expressed solidarity with Palestine.<\/p>\n Last year, the Basque side Athletic Club \u2013 home to Spain\u2019s goalkeeper Unai Simon and winger Nico Williams \u2013 officially called for an end to the genocide in Gaza.<\/p>\n Kasem said politics should stay out of football, but it was FIFA that politicised the sport after handing US President Donald Trump its inaugural Peace Prize<\/a> and suspending Russia over the invasion of Ukraine while refusing to ban Israel for the genocide in Gaza.<\/p>\n![\"Zein](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260717_154008-1784330756.jpg\")
Zein Rimawi speaks to Al Jazeera in Brooklyn, New York, on July 17, 2026 [Ali Harb\/Al Jazeera]\u2018We\u2019re for Spain with all our hearts\u2019<\/p>\n![\"Palestinian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260717_175153-1784330381.jpg\")
Palestinian American business owner Mahmoud Kasem at his restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, July 17 [Ali Harb\/Al Jazeera]Arab unity<\/p>\n![\"Pro-Palestine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260717_170409-1784330264.jpg\")
Pro-Palestine graffiti in the Bay Ridge neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York, July 17 [Ali Harb\/Al Jazeera]Argentina-Israel vibes<\/p>\n