Wants to improve Israel's relations with Muslim countries
Photo: Reuters
Our soccer ambassador to Senegal
Israel National Team coach Avraham Grant to give workshops in Senegal, Mauritania in hopes of improving Israel’s relations with Muslim African countries
Avraham Grant, Israel’s National team coach, will soon head for Africa at the behest of the Foreign Ministry to help train Senegalese and Mauritanian soccer coaches. Grant will also be training a local Mauritanian team called Arafat.
Peace through sport
By Ynetnews
Top international coach Jose Mourinho to assist in establishing Palestinian, Israeli soccer schools
The Israeli coach visited Tunisia a year and a half ago during the African championship games, and will conduct these workshops in hopes of improving Israel’s relations with other Muslim African countries.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Israel’s ambassador to Mauritania, Boaz Bismuth, came up with the idea to show Israel’s appreciation to Mauritania, the only Muslim country to maintain full diplomatic ties with Israel over the years, particularly during the years of the Intifada.
When neighboring Senegal heard that Grant would be coming to Mauritania, they put in a request to have their coaches benefit from the Israeli coach’s expertise as well.
After a personal request from FM Shalom, Grant decided to go for it and is working on scheduling the visit.
These Arafat’s are still kicking
Foreign ministry spokesman Yehoshua Mor Yossef said: “The affair was settled during FM Shalom’s visit to Mauritania two months ago. Grant is scheduled to arrive in August for two purposes: To train the Mauritanian team Arafat Madrid, and to conduct workshops for local coaches.”
The team Arafat Madrid is actually named for Mount Arafat, which is located in Saudi Arabia, rather than the former Palestinian leader, and the club’s honorary chairman is Israel's ambassador to Mauritia, Bismuth. Grant is also scheduled to meet with Mauritanian soccer association head Mulani Abbas.
Sources in the foreign ministry say that the coach may visit other Muslim countries in the future, not necessarily in Africa, as part of the cooperative effort between the ministry and Grant.
