Fadi Aldeeb: The Paralympian Carrying the Hopes of Palestine

Fadi Aldeeb stands as a symbol of resilience and determination at the Paris Paralympics, representing not just himself, but an entire nation. Nine months ago, his world was shattered when he missed several calls from his brother in Gaza, only to find out the next day that his brother had been killed in an Israeli attack. This tragic event has fueled Aldeeb’s resolve to be the voice of his people on the global stage.

Aldeeb, the only Palestinian athlete at the Paris Paralympics, left the Gaza Strip a decade ago to pursue a career in wheelchair basketball. His journey took him through Turkey and Greece before he finally settled in France. Despite the distance, the pain of his brother’s loss remains fresh, and it drives his mission at the Paralympics. “On December 6, I had a French league game, and when I was finished, I found my brother had called me many times. … I tried to call back, but there was no connection,” Aldeeb told Reuters. The next day, he learned the devastating news that his brother had been killed in an attack on their building.

Now, in Paris, Aldeeb is competing in the shot put event, but his presence at the Paralympics is about much more than sports. “It’s too many feelings, too much responsibility, because I’m not speaking about myself, I’m not playing for myself. I’m here for 11 million, for all who say I’m a Palestinian, for all who talk about humanity and to talk about the freedom of Palestine,” he said. Aldeeb carries the weight of being the voice of his people, a responsibility that he takes very seriously.

Aldeeb’s story is one of profound resilience. At the age of 40, he became a paraplegic after being shot in the back by an Israeli soldier in 2001 during the second Intifada, or uprising, against Israeli occupation. This life-altering event did not deter him; instead, it strengthened his resolve to fight for his people. He raises his voice against the atrocities in Gaza, where the Ministry of Health reports that more than 40,000 people have been killed in Israel’s war since a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed, and about 250 were taken captive.

After the Paralympics, Aldeeb will resume playing wheelchair basketball in the Paris suburb of Gennevilliers, but the memories of the violence he has witnessed will remain with him. He sees Israel’s military as a “killing machine” and is vocal about the indiscriminate nature of their attacks. “There is no difference [for Israel’s military] between athletes, disabled or nondisabled, children or women, big or small homes, hospitals, hotels, universities, or schools,” he said.

Aldeeb’s presence at the Paralympics is not without controversy. He expressed discomfort about the presence of Israeli athletes in Paris, especially after the city held a ceremony to pay tribute to Israeli Olympic team members killed by Palestinian gunmen at the 1972 Munich Olympics. However, he has found solace in the support he has received from other competitors, who have given him a “feeling of humanity.”

The Olympic Charter states that competitors should enjoy freedom of expression but prohibits “political propaganda” at any Olympic sites. Aldeeb, however, is determined to use his platform to raise awareness about the plight of his people, even if it means walking a fine line between advocacy and the restrictions imposed by the Olympic Committee.

For Aldeeb, raising the Palestinian flag in Paris is an act of defiance and a reminder that “we are still alive, we still need our human rights, we still need our freedom.” His story is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the unyielding desire for justice and freedom.