UAE women's team plan Israel tour as rugby offers 'true message of peace'

Israel’s Olympic sevens side played an all-Emirati UAE side on Friday night in the first Abraham Accord Friendship Cup

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

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 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

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 embrace after their match in Dubai on Friday. Reuters

UAE and Israel players with the Abraham Accord Friendship Cup trophy. Reuters

The UAE women’s team are planning to tour Israel in August as ties between the rugby unions of the two countries continue to strengthen.

Israel's Olympic sevens side beat an all-Emirati UAE side at Dubai Sports City on Friday night, as the teams competed for the Abraham Accord Friendship Cup for the first time.

After that fixture, the players split into two mixed teams, known as Israel-UAE Blues and UAE-Israel Whites.

Above the numbers on the back of the players’ shirts was written the word “peace” in English, Arabic and Hebrew.

The respective unions hope exchange tours will become a regular feature of the relationship between them, with the next engagement being a fixture in Tel Aviv later this summer involving their women’s sides.

“This match was a celebration of the Abraham Accord, and it is a beginning of a sports agreement with the Israeli Rugby federation,” said Mohammed Al Zaabi, a UAE Rugby Federation board member.

“The match came at the end of the rugby season in the UAE, and we also hope next August to hold a match for the women’s team in Tel Aviv.”

Al Zaabi believes the two sides created lasting memories with the fixture on Friday.

“We are very proud because the match was not about winning, it was all about the exchange of experiences,” Al Zaabi said.

“I’m very happy that I have been part of this accord, even on the part of rugby. Sport is always a good way of peace. It is a special moment that will remain stuck in the memory of the whole world.”

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.”

Offer Fabian, the president of the Israel rugby federation, said fixture played between mixed sides in Dubai was a “true message of peace”.

“You are looking at the field and you don’t see two countries,” Fabian said. “You see two teams, because each team is composed of players from both countries.

“It was important for us and our friends here in the Emirates that, not only do we play against each other, but we play with each other. We have players from both teams playing together, and this is the true message of peace.”