Football fans unite in Palestine and Israel

FC Barcelona will be on a 'Peace Tour' of the West Bank and Tel Aviv FC Barcelona football team are to visit Palestine on Saturday, as part of an effort to promote peace between Palestinians and Israelis .
Spanish Football stars including Lionel Messi and newly signed Neymar da Silva Santos will hold skill clinics and football games in the West Bank on August 3 and the following day in Tel Aviv as part of a “Peace Tour” paid for by FC Barcelona.
The Barcelona Football Club said teams will be made up of a combination of Palestinian and Israeli children.
FC Barcelona players will be received by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas on August 3 in Bethlehem.  They will visit the Church of the Nativity and will then travel to the Dura Stadium near Hebron, in the West Bank to begin the first stage of the games.
Arab Idol winner from Gaza, Mohammed Assaf is expected to perform for the guests.
Chairperson of the Palestinian Football Federation Jibril Al-Ragoub told Arab Today: “The visit of the Catalans to Palestine is a turning point in the history of the Palestinian sports.”
He said the Israeli government had initially tried to block the Spanish team from visiting Palestine, for "fears of revealing the oppression against Palestinian children participating in sports."
An expected 12,000 Palestinian and Israeli children will attend the event at Bloomfield Stadium, in Tel Aviv on Sunday.  Prior to the games, the players will visit the Western Wall where they will meet Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Palestinian streets are lined with banners welcoming the Spanish players, and shopkeepers have reported a notable increase in sales of Barcelona football shirts.
Sandro Rosell, Chairperson of the Barcelona Football Club said the initiative, which is expected to attract around 25,000 people, will aim to promote the peace processed between Palestinian and Israeli citizens.  
FC Barcelona described the visit as a historic step to unit both sides.  
The Palestinian government expressed its appreciation towards the Barcelona team.