- Title: ISRAEL: Palestinian and Israeli youth compete in "Judo For Peace" tournament
- Date: 29th June 2008
- Summary: MORE OF JUDOKA PLAYERS DURING A JUDO MATCH JUDO FEDERATION FLAG AND ISRAELI FLAGS HANGING ABOVE SIGN READING 'JUDO FOR PEACE' FEMALE JUDOKA PLAYERS DURING MATCH
- Embargoed: 14th July 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: International Relations,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA9487TKKVODS32FUU8KWPJXHBZ
- Story Text: Palestinian and Israeli youths fight it out in an all-day Judo tournament organised by the International Judo Federation in an event which aims to promote peace through sport.
An International Judo tournament held in the Israeli city of Haifa on Saturday (June 28) brought together Judokas (Judo players) from Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan, as well as eleven other countries, with the aim of promoting peace.
Young Judokas competed in the Judo for Peace tournament that was held in Israel for the first time.
Jan Eirik Schiotz, Director of the Judo for Peace Commission of the International Judo Federation, praised the Israeli and Palestinian participants for turning the tournament into what he described as a "festival".
He said that the tournament, which was started by the European Judo Union in 2006, was a promising event where you could see both the Palestinians and Israelis and also all countries with conflict participate together.
SchIotz added that sport was a useful tool to promote peace between the two people.
"We use sport as a tool to get people together so we can have reconciliation. Because one thing is peace, the other thing is reconciliation.
So we can learn to be able to live together. You can disagree but you must learn you have to respect the other's opinions and instead of fighting you can discuss and perhaps hopefully get understanding of the other's opinions,"
Schiotz told Reuters.
Two Palestinians including a Palestinian coach from the West Bank towns of Bethlehem and Hebron took part in the event.
Anwar Zidan, who headed the Palestinian delegation, said the event was an opportunity to improve ties between Israelis and Palestinians.
"The participation is very important for us, because we broadcast from here, a message of peace to all the world that the Israeli and Palestinian people want to live in peace. And there is nothing better than sports to bring people together," he said.
Robert Wolf, manager of the Israeli team, said the sport was a way of bringing Palestinians and Israelis together.
"We have this belief that if we can bring sports people together and show everybody that we are not all monsters from both sides - from the Israeli side and from the Arab side - that we can help in the future to bond us together so we can live together and work together," Wolf said.
Jordanian kickboxing champion, Ali al-Halaby, said his team was taking part in order spread a message of peace.
"We are new to the sport of Judo. And our aim in participating in this event is not to collect trophies or winning gold or silver medals, but for the participation for peace and spreading peace between people through sports and especially through the sport of Judo," al-Halaby said.
Sergey Soloveychik, Chairman of the European Judo Association, was present at the tournament and was honoured by the Israeli Judo Federation for holding the tournament in Israel. Soloveychik presented the finalists with medals. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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