Israel Bars Gaza Palestinians From Bethlehem Marathon
Daoud Kuttab laments Israeli restrictions to prevent runners from Gaza from participating in a marathon in Bethlehem.
Sports has often been a national unifying factor. Palestine is no exception.
Palestinian sports has received public and community attention for some time, indeed, ever since the International Olympic committee allowed Palestinian athletes to participate in the Atlanta games in 1996. Majid Abu Maraheel, 32, a distance runner from Gaza and a father of five, was one of three Palestinians who had the honor of carrying the Palestinian flag for the first time in any Olympic meet. Maraheel, a member of the presidential security force, trained for years on the shores of the Mediterranean and thus qualified to run in long-distance races in Atlanta.
