Barca stars ‘messengers of peace’

Source:AFP-Global Times Published: 2013-8-4 23:18:01

Israeli President Shimon Peres on Sunday praised Lionel Messi and his fellow Barcelona stars as "messengers of peace" as they made a brief visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

"Israeli and Palestinian children dream of two goals," Peres told the visitors in remarks broadcast on public radio. "Scoring the winning goal at Camp Nou, and the great goal of peace."

The players and staff arrived Saturday on their "Peace Tour" and travelled to the West Bank city of Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity, where Jesus is believed to have been born.

After meeting Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas at his Ramallah headquarters they held a soccer clinic near the southern West Bank town of Dura.

On Sunday they visited Jerusalem's walled Old City to stand at the Western Wall, the holiest site at which Jews can pray.

"Barca is more than just a club," Peres, who turned 90 on Friday, said at his Jerusalem residence. "You became each of you messengers of peace."

AFP - Global Times

Posted in: Soccer

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