(CNN) James Masters - Mifalot, an initiative backed by one of the biggest soccer clubs in Israel, Hapoel Tel Aviv, brings together children from all backgrounds - not just across Israel and the Palestinian territories, but from countries across the world. Arabs, Jews, Bedouins, Druze all take part, while there is a program dedicated to those with special needs. Israel's national under-21 team included five Israeli Arab players, two Ethiopian Jews and a Bedouin. "It's a great honor for me to represent Israel," Munas Dabbur, an Israeli Arab striker who plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv, told CNN. "I always felt that I was proud to be invited to the team and I want it to continue." While Arab players do not sing the Israeli national anthem, essentially an ode to the Jewish homeland, they also refrain from speaking in Arabic during training to avoid dividing the group.
2013-06-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive