When Jalil Houssain made a deep run within the opening occasion of the 2026 World Collection of Poker (WSOP), he was interested by his 50-plus cousins dwelling in Palestine, a war-devastated nation on the middle of one of the crucial polarizing and longstanding army conflicts in fashionable historical past.
Houssain, who’s half Palestinian, ended up ending runner-up within the $550 Mini Thriller Tens of millions for $265,000 — no small feat for a participant taking part in his first-ever WSOP occasion and combating by persistent ache.
Ought to he have gained the occasion, he might very properly have been the primary Palestinian-American bracelet winner (in accordance with the US Census Bureau, American Palestinians solely make up 0.05% of the US inhabitants). And he actually would have been the primary bracelet winner to listing his nationality as Palestinian within the WSOP LIVE app.
“Positively that was on my thoughts,” Houssain advised PokerNews in an emotional interview. “That really makes me a bit unhappy, as a result of being half Palestinian is one thing I take a number of satisfaction in.”
Later in a written assertion, he added, “representing Palestinians, a folks whom have collectively endured super struggling because the ‘nakba,’ or ‘disaster’ of 1948, particularly over the previous few years in Gaza and the West Financial institution, is essential to me. And is a part of who I’m at my core.”
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Representing Palestine on the WSOP
Houssain grew up in San Francisco, however his household heritage goes again to the Center East. He advised PokerNews his Palestinian father and Dutch mom first met in America and determined relocating within the U.S. to begin a household was the play.
“They have been adventurers. They liked to journey … They ended up getting collectively (within the US) and determined to remain,” stated Houssain.
Houssain nonetheless has prolonged household in Palestine, the place he spent portion of his childhood. He hasn’t been there in years as a result of an ongoing medical complication he skilled in 2020, which he stated was attributable to a uncommon medical complication from the COVID vaccine and prevented him from taking part in dwell poker.
“We might go go to there on a regular basis rising up as children,” he stated. “I’ve over 50 cousins on that facet of my household.”
The Center Jap nation is concerned in a decades-long battle with neighboring Israel that escalated considerably lately. Based on the Council on International Relations, about 90% of Gaza’s inhabitants was displaced and going through catastrophic meals shortages in 2025.
His prolonged relations have been on the high of his thoughts as he made the ultimate desk of the Mini Thriller Tens of millions after getting by a large discipline of 20,488 gamers. And when he got here up in need of turning into a Palestinian bracelet winner, ending runner-up to Philip Chun, Houssain responded with tears.
“I do know my brothers and sisters in Palestine and Gaza are struggling to no finish. And it will have been nice to have the ability to take it down for them and signify.”
Houssain additionally uttered the Arabic phrase “Alhamdulillah,” which he famous was an Arabic expression of gratitude, and gave a shoutout “to my household and buddies who’ve been watching and supporting me over the previous few days.”
“We do it for Ali, my nephew, shoutout to him.”
Houssain is not the primary participant to indicate Palestine love on the WSOP. 2021 Tag Crew winner Samy Dighlawi wore a “Free Palestine” shirt on the closing desk, whereas certainly one of poker’s most achieved gamers, Justin Bonomo, was practically disqualified from the 2024 WSOP Paradise Tremendous Predominant Occasion for carrying a Palestinian keffiyeh on stream.
And Houssain nonetheless has hopes at bringing Palestine a bracelet. “To have come this far in such a large discipline match, particularly it being my first dwell WSOP occasion itself, is a blessing. I had a good time and can proceed to get pleasure from taking part in by the remainder of this collection. My willpower to incorporate Palestine as one of many nations that has a WSOP title and bracelet to its title is robust, and this was solely the primary alternative of many to return.”
Try the PokerNews dwell updates to learn extra about Houssain’s run within the WSOP Mini Thriller Tens of millions.
Connor Richards
Senior Editor U.S.
