Палестина: Футболният отбор на Уест Банк играе в Газа за пръв път от 15 години насам

West Bank-based football team Ahli al-Khalil played a historic match against home side Ittihad al-Shejaiya at the Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza, Thursday, after 15 years of Israel refusing to allow West Bank and Gaza teams to travel to compete against each other. The game ended in a goalless draw. Up to 10,000 Palestinian fans attended the match between two of Palestine’s best football teams before both teams plan to travel to the West Bank on Friday for the return-leg of the match. The winner of the two-leg set of matches is expected to represent Palestine at a number of international competitions. Israel allowed the teams to travel for the match as part of a deal which saw the Palestine Football Association (PLA) back out of a proposal to kick Israel out of FIFA for restricting the movement of Palestinian football teams and players. For the last nine years Israel has been imposing a blockade of the Gaza Strip, hindering the flow of goods and people across the borders of Gaza.