Palestine football team set for Olympics appearance as Gaza sees first marathon

Gaza saw the running of its first ever marathon yesterday. It was organised by the UN. See a video from Al Jazeera here. In more good news for Palestinian athletics and sports the Olympic committees of Palestine and Israel met in Rome with the Israeli side agreeing that the restrictions on the movement of Palestinians was a hindrance to competing that had to be overcome. These sentiments have not as yet changed any facts on the ground but shows that not everyone in Israel is unremittingly hostile to all things Palestinian. And in more good news, it looks like the Palestinian football team could be making an appearance at the London Olympics next year.

For the first time the Israeli NOC recognized the problem of the freedom of movement for Palestinian athletes. It also invited Palestinian athletes to train with their Israeli counterparts ahead of next year’s Olympics.

"This is very important for the Palestinian people and I think it should also be important for the Israeli people," said Palestinian NOC and FA president Jibril Rajoub of the freedom of movement issue.

"The Palestinian players and athletes are not able to move inside the Palestinian territories and from the Palestinian territories to outside."

Ironically, the March Olympic qualifier with Thailand was undermined by Israel refusing to allow eight of the 12 selected players from Gaza crossing into the West Bank.

A source close to the Palestinian FA welcomed the Rome talks and the Israeli acknowledgement of the problems facing Palestinian athletes.

“But the translation into facts of this statement remains to be seen,” he added. more

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