Players of Israel, blue, and UAE after a friendly rugby match in Dubai on Friday, March 19. The Israeli team travelled to the country for a joint training camp with the UAE national squad and their first ever rugby match. EPA
Players of Israel, blue, and UAE after a friendly rugby match in Dubai on Friday, March 19. The Israeli team travelled to the country for a joint training camp with the UAE national squad and their first ever rugby match. EPA
Players of UAE and Israel shake hands after their friendly rugby match in Dubai. EPA
Players of UAE and Israel shake hands after their friendly rugby match in Dubai. EPA
UAE and Israel began their sporting ties with a friendly match of rugby in Dubai on Friday. EPA
UAE and Israel began their sporting ties with a friendly match of rugby in Dubai on Friday. EPA
UAE and Israel players prior to their friendly match at Dubai Sports City. EPA
UAE and Israel players prior to their friendly match at Dubai Sports City. EPA
UAE and Israel teams first played a friendly. Players were then mixed together to form two teams, Israel-UAE Blues and Israel-UAE Whites. AP
UAE and Israel teams first played a friendly. Players were then mixed together to form two teams, Israel-UAE Blues and Israel-UAE Whites. AP
Players enter the pitch before the friendly rugby match between UAE and Israel in Dubai. EPA
Players enter the pitch before the friendly rugby match between UAE and Israel in Dubai. EPA
Israel player Gal Aviram receives the Abraham Accord Friendship Cup trophy from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, chairman of the UAE Rugby Federation. EPA
Israel player Gal Aviram receives the Abraham Accord Friendship Cup trophy from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, chairman of the UAE Rugby Federation. EPA
UAE and Israel players during their friendly at Dubai Sports City. Reuters
UAE and Israel players during their friendly at Dubai Sports City. Reuters
UAE and Israel players embrace after their match in Dubai on Friday. Reuters
UAE and Israel players embrace after their match in Dubai on Friday. Reuters
UAE and Israel players with the Abraham Accord Friendship Cup trophy. Reuters
UAE and Israel players with the Abraham Accord Friendship Cup trophy. Reuters

Rugby

UAE and Israel show sporting spirit on the rugby field - in pictures

Friendly sevens fixture at Dubai Sports City on Friday

Paul Radley
Paul Radley
Dubai

March 20, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Rugby sides from the UAE and Israel met on the field for the first time on Friday.

The two sides played a friendly sevens fixture at Dubai Sports City. The two sets of players were then mixed together to form two teams, Israel-UAE Blues and Israel-UAE Whites.

Ahead of the game, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin addressed the two sides in a video message saying “shalom and salaam”.

“This initiative, a joint rugby training camp, is a wonderful expression of the new spirit of people to people peace, following the historic Abraham Accords,” he said.

“While leaders may sign agreements, true peace requires people on both sides to build bonds of friendship and cooperation in every arena.

“A game like rugby is an excellent way to build bridges across cultures, religions and nationalities. Congratulations on this groundbreaking initiative.”

The language of diplomacy in 1853

Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)


We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.

Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale

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Rugby