The Iranian athlete who escaped his country’s tyranny to compete against his Israeli opponent is ‘story of bravery, friendship against all odds, and the true spirit of sport.’
An Israeli non-profit called ‘Budo for Peace’ brings together youth from a wide range of backgrounds to learn martial arts and develop tools for coexistence.
Iranian judoka admits the Islamic regime forced him to lose a match to avoid facing the Israeli competitor. More than anything, he wants to win the championship.
Paltchik dedicated his momentous achievement to the victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre and to the Israeli victims of Hamas’ terrorism near Gaza.
For years, Israeli athletes have faced boycotts, snubs and logistical hurdles related to sporting events hosted by Arab and Muslim countries. Finally, the IJF put its foot down.
The BBC is broadcasting “The A-Word” – a drama about a family with an autistic son – after buying the format from Israel’s Keshet International, and Israel attracts about 500 million birds annually, prompting the government to feed 8 tons of corn to thousands of cranes every day.