Show of Bravery, my a$$! The little bugger was scared of what might happen to him if he lost to an Israeli. If he was really "brave and principles", he would have played the Israeli player and done his best to whip him into the ground. Instead, he decided to fold his tent and steal away into the night... always the coward's way out.

Bravery my foot.

He knows that he would lose playing against an Israeli Jew. What if it was an Israeli Muslim? Would he then accept the challenge?

Is it not supposed to be about your passion of chess? Thats why your there for, is it not?

While I agree in general with content of other talkbacks, I would like to correct a small lack of precision in the article: of course, Iran is not an Arab country, and therefore the last paragraph should start with 'Boycotting of Israeli athletes by Islamic countries'.

Honestly, I don't know who to blame , that poor kid losing a great opportunity in his life, or his stupid parents , teachers and environment. And of course his Gazan's fans.. they will really never learn..

And this is the mentality the world expects Israel to negotiate peace with? Give me a freaking break.

.... no doubt we'll hear from lil' yellow Mo' s extollers how he could have won.

It is most refreshing to see a boy at the tender age of 10 act in such an ethical and principled manner. He sacrifices personal gain, be it in money or reputation, to carry out the express will of God and humanity. More power to him!

If Iran is not an arab country what is it? If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's a duck. Iran speaks arabic, is run by a repressive islamic based government, supports terrorstinains, is against womens' rights, wants to dominate the world, is on record as saying Israel has no right to exist . . . I could go on, but you get the idea: Iran is indeed an arab country.

I would have thought many Arabs would be deeply embarrassed by this display.

How can there be peace when children in countries that aren't even involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict are so brainwashed? This kid should be required to play his next international tournament in Israel to learn the truth first-hand or face a permanent ban from chess competition for life.

You continue providing evidence supporting those who claim Muslims worship a very different god from that of Christians and Jews.

In America we call people like that "pussy"

graczek, he WOULD HAVE LOST TO THE JEWISH ISRAELI PLAYER. that is for sure. muslims and arabs do not like loosing to jews. it infuriates them just like it infuriated them to loose 3 wars against israel. it demoralizes them. it shames them and it belittles them. THIS IS WHY THIS ARAB NEVER TOOK A CHANCE OT PLAY THE JEW! HE WOULD HAVE SOUNDLY LOST! and this is the crux of the matter. it has nothing to do with his, according to your opinions, "noble stance".

it is not that we are "chosen" by god. it is that we have put ourselves as jews through millenia to surpass everyone, including pollaks, in intelligence, achievements and in everything we touch to succeed and to go all the way to the top. this is what shames you. this is what angers you and this is what makes you hate us.

it has nothing to do with principles and everything to do with an arab fear of humiliating defeat against a jew and a pervasive hatred of anything jewish in general. hameed aboughaze, iranian

the express will of god was to have chosen the jews as the chosen people. read your bible since you seem to be so "religious". but your replacement theology that you practice doesn't change the fact that god has chosen the jews to lead, to accept his commandments and to be a light unto the nations. god has chosen the jews, not the christians nor muslims to that lofty status. this is what you, a replacement theology believer, refuses to accept. but your refusal still doesn't affect the fact in the bibiel and its history, that jews, not you, were the chosen ones. this bothers you. it makes you envious and it negates everything that you wish was yours. sorry, you are second in line, if anything. the jew was the first. go complain to your god and leave the jew alone. hameed aboughaze, iranian

"He sacrifices personal gain, be it in money or reputation..." Do we know that he wasn't guaranteed a college scholarship from a 'benefactor' for pulling out? Or severe bullying for staying in?

chess players. In Qatar, they didn't want an Israeli conductor, conducting a mixed arab-Israeli orchestra, or Shachar Pe'er playing tennis. Is there actually a word for CULTURE in the arab language?

It's a sport, a way to connect, to see that each side is human and can be negotiated with - except the side that refuses to negotiate and it's pretty clear which side that is, even at 10 years old.

yes. it is called violence and hate.

How come with that name you are so dum.

All this talk by some of you with this "We're the chosen people. Blah, blah, blah." This is one of the excuses I hear as justification for anti-semitism. They hate us for our arrogance, and I can't say I blame them for that. You have apparently forgotten the lessons of what being chosen mean. WE chose G-d, not the other way around. WE chose to obey his mitzvot (and we're doing a horrible job with this arrogant talk), WE chose to bear the yolk of servitude to him. Not for our glory, but His. To you that are so full of yourselves, I'd remind you that if you're "chosen", then choose to remember His words. Micah 6:8 "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk HUMBLY with your God."

I pity the boy and feel sorrow at the loss of his potential contributions to the world. He & all of us have been robbed by the blind hatred instilled in him from birth. I often find myself mocking the rest of the Jew-haters through my own dark humor. When one of my Jewish friends bests me I always exclaim "Damn, those crafty Jews!" My friends will say "but you're a Jew", to which I reply, "yes...just not crafty!" :D

Actually, the gentleman from Italy is correct. Iranians are not Arabs...they're technically Indo-Europeans. And they don't speak Arabic...they speak Farsi. The fact that they share some of the more negative aspects of Arab society is because they're Muslims...not because they're Arabs.

Very brave, and every hater know it . It's the most peaceful action to send a message to the world and it's redicales to read most of these comments talking about extremist and violence . I wonder if hebrow is the 1st language of any of you commentators . Ps: chest is an old Arabic game , check-maat = the wise man is dead , I bet my young Tunisian brother will have kicked some ass . Shalom to the true resident of Israel not settlers who moved there for money .

principled my a.., he was plain scared of the beating he was going to take, by the way grazeater, do you play chess, well, with your IQ,,.......... foolish question

and cool off, you are living proof that we cant be chosen

Check your knowledge before making ignorant remarks. Iranians only have in common with arabs the Muslim Faith. Just like Indonesians who are not Arabs but are Muslims or Turks who are also muslims but not arabs. Ignorance is daring. Go study