Israeli and Palestinian officials are bringing their young athletes together in sports competitions in a bid to help strengthen the peace process.
"The idea is to bring the youth from both sides together on the playing fields and to build trust and cooperation for the future," Israeli Minister of Sport, Science and Culture Raleb Majadele told The Associated Press at an international forum Thursday on the role of sports in ending conflict.
Under a plan hammered out over the past few months by a joint team from the Israeli and Palestinian ministries of sport, youth from both sides will cross into each others' territories starting in February to compete in soccer, table tennis and chess.
Majadele didn't elaborate on how the government plan would work, but it appeared to be modeled after programs of mixed Israeli-Palestinian sports teams run by the non-governmental Peres Center for Peace. Those programs include children as young as 6.
Soccer, table tennis and chess were selected for the initiative because they are popular and don't require extensive facilities, Majadele said, acknowledging that most sports facilities in the Palestinian territories are underdeveloped or have been damaged in fighting.
"Annapolis will give impetus to these (trust-building) steps," Majadele said, referring to last week's Mideast conference in Maryland where Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to resume peace talks.
Majadele shared a platform in Monaco with Manuel Hassassian, the Palestinian ambassador to Britain.
The two shook hands in a show of unity in the presence of Prince Albert II of Monaco, an International Olympic Committee member and founder of the "Peace and Sport" Initiative.
"Activities such as sport will act as a catalyst (and) will enhance the building of confidence between the two peoples," Hassassian said.
The forum brought together heads of states and governments, officials of non-governmental organizations and members of the IOC, international sports federations and national Olympic committees.
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