Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., August 11, 2008 Av 10, 5768 | | Israel Time: 04:45 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Comments:  9
Last update - 16:40 10/08/2008
Despite regional tensions, Russia's Israeli basketball coach shakes hands with Iranian team
By Haaretz Service
Tags: David Blatt, Beijing Olympics 

Despite Iran's insistence that its representatives will have no contact with Israelis, David Blatt, the Israeli coach of Russia's Olympic basketball team met - and shook hands - with the coach and players of Iran's Olympic team before dawn Sunday (Israeli time).

The two teams played against each other in the first round of the men's basketball tournament in Beijing, with the Russians registering an easy win, 71:49.

H
Advertisement
owever, the game's main attraction was the historic handshake between Blatt and the Iranian players.

Blatt referred to the handshake after the game, telling Israel's Sports Channel "That's the beauty of Olympic Games - they go beyond the issue of nationality."

Blatt added "Only here can an Israeli coach shake hands with the players and coach of the Iranian team."

It is still unclear whether the Iranian players knew the symbolic significance of their handshake with the Israeli coach, or whether they were unaware of Blatt's nationality.

In another charged encounter Saturday, an Iranian swimmer dropped out of a heat that included Israeli swimmer Tom Be'eri in it.

Related articles:
  • Political turmoil, murder mar opening day of Beijing Games
  • Israel at the Beijing Olympic Games
  • Let the Games begin...
  • Exodus from Europe to the NBA begins reversing its course
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    A Model Zionist
    How did Bar Rafaeli conquer the U.S. blogs and gossip columns?
    A lost pillar
    Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish to be laid to rest in Ramallah, mourned for 3 days.
      1.   Blatt should be elected "coach" of Israeli nation 13:36  |  Ivar 10/08/08
      2.   Ivar, yes lets be friends with the people who want to kill us 16:34  |  yomamma 10/08/08
      3.   Israel would always like to shake hand with Iranians 16:45  |  Dan 10/08/08
      4.   Handshaking 17:42  |  Mac 10/08/08
      5.   This is what sport is all about 19:02  |  Michael II 10/08/08
      6.   Ivar, accuse Israeli swimmer for Iranian refusing compete with? 19:22  |  I 10/08/08
      7.   We, progressive Iranians 20:27  |  Ali 10/08/08
      8.   Olympics 03:30  |  isaac 11/08/08
      9.   What will the mullahs do? 04:37  |  Joe Sittizen 11/08/08
     Read & React
    Foreign Ministry: Israel recognizes Georgia's territorial sovereignty
    Responses: 145
    Gideon Levy: Livni, Mofaz, Barak, Bibi - none of them will end the occupation
    Responses: 72
    In depth / Contrary to popular belief, war with Iran is not imminent
    Responses: 59
    Editorial: Freeing 450 Palestinian prisoners for Shalit will not harm our security
    Responses: 28
    Were Jewish partisans depicted in new Hollywood movie murderers or heroes?
    Responses: 88
    Rosner's Domain
    Arabs reluctant to help Palestinian Authority (WTR)
    Does Israel need American consent to attack Iran?
    Congress likely to see record number of Jewish legislators
    Israel looking for leader and agenda, but finds neither


    More Headlines
    04:00 Barak questions whether Livni would be 'wise' choice for premiership
    02:43 PA: We may demand binational Israeli-Palestinian state
    03:38 IDF reservists who trained Georgia troops: War with Russia is no surprise
    04:26 Defense Ministry: No progress with Hamas on Shalit swap deal
    04:06 Mourning Mahmoud Darwish, 'the son of all the Palestinians'
    03:51 Egypt closes dozens of tunnels used by Gaza smugglers
    02:42 Georgia Jews, tourists flee to Israel as clashes with Russia continue
    18:36 Haaretz newsletter: All the news from Israel direct to your inbox
    03:11 Peres invites Russian PM, Chinese President to Israel
    04:33 Small Arab villages serve as models for waste recycling in Israel
    01:42 Russia declares itself ready to make peace with Georgia
    00:46 Jewish Georgian minister: Thanks to Israeli training, we're fending off Russia
    01:49 Two Israeli swimmers secure places in Olympics semifinals
    04:18 Supermodel Bar Refaeli - the first international Zionist celebrity
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Isaac Maimon at Dreamshoppe
    Special summer sale. Make an offer now. You will be surprised.
    MBA in Israel in English
    APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Yossi Avrahami Presents:
    New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat
    Your vacation starts here
    Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved