Using soccer to unite bitter foes
JOBURG – An Israeli-South African is using the power of soccer to unite sworn enemies in the Middle East.
An Israeli organisation in South Africa is attempting to use football as a catalyst to champion unity and coexistence between the Palestinians and Israelis.
Known as the Partnership2Gether South Africa formed by South African Israelite, Benji Shulman of the South African Friends of Israel, the programme is hosting a youth soccer tournament and coaching clinics in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
In Johannesburg, the clinics were held at the Discovery Soccer Park in Illovo, with the help of SuperSport United players and technical staff involving 16 teams with 128 children, including an All Africa Team made up of foreigners residing in this country, and Alexandra’s Real Madrid Football Club.
The aim of the tournament is to get U15 and U16 teams from disadvantaged and affluent areas around Johannesburg and their Israeli and Palestinian counterparts connecting with each other. The tournament will provide players with a rare glimpse into each other’s lives to raise awareness about the significant role played by sport in uniting people of diverse faiths, cultures and races.
Speaking at the launch of the programme, Shulman said a mixed delegation of Israeli soccer players of Arab and Jewish origin would participate in the fun football event that sought to bridge the divide between the two communities.
“We hope to use football and the mixed team of Jews and Arabs as a catalyst for change and forming bonds between the two communities so they can set an example for all of us out there,” he said.
Shulman added that the tournament would have no winner as all teams involved would be winners.
The female coach of the Arab-Israeli team, Ranin Abo Sharek said the team of eight players, four from each nationality, would be used to bring the children together so they could get to learn to live, play and socialise together.
SuperSport United keeper of Arab origin, Reyaard Pieterse, said he never experienced any sort of divide in any of the matches where he played with players of different races and varying faiths. “We never realise those differences as they do not play any part in our game due to the fact that we all have a common goal on the pitch, while off the pitch we socialise with no acrimony or barriers at all.”
Pieterse’s words were echoed by SuperSport United captain, Dean Furman, a player of Jewish origin, who said, “We all have the utmost respect for all our religious beliefs as we share a common goal that we’re working towards.”
