Kick racism out of football campaign, Israel, with John Barnes
March 5th - March 7th 2006

For two hectic days New Israel Fund escorted former England Footballer, John Barnes, all over Israel as head of a delegation to launch NIF's "Kick Racism and Violence Out of Football Campaign".

New Israel Fund has managed to bring together the Israel Football Association and the English Football Association to help combat the rising tide of unaccpetable behaviour in Israeli football stadia. A delegation from the English Football Association, which also included England former player Brendan Batson, met with their Israel Football Association counterparts in Tel Aviv on Monday to discuss methods of tackling racism in Israeli soccer. In the last few years there has been an incredible rise in abuse between Jewish and Arab fans and against Black players.

The Campaign is fully endorsed by the Israeli Players Footballers Association. Former Liverpool and Rangers Defender, Avi Cohen and legendary Israeli goalkeeper Arieh Alter, have persuaded many Israeli players to get behind the scheme - making it one of the most high-profile campaigns of its kind in the world.

New Israel Fund also arranged for the delegation to visit the Knesset, where is was endorsed by a number of MKs from the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.

Finally, the delegation met with President Moshe Katsav who added his own personal endorsement.

Also present were journalists from the British nationals, including Patrick Barclay, Lead Sports Columnist for the Sunday Telegraph and Anna Kessel from the Observer.

You can check their articles out on our News page.

Simon Johnson (Director of Corporate Affairs at the FA), Iche Mencachem (President of the IFA) and Alan Bolchover (CEO NIF UK)		John Barnes (Former Watford, Liverpool, Celtic and England footballer) shares a few thoughts with Anna Kessel of The Observer		Abbas Suan (Bnei Sakhnin and Israel) is flanked by John Barnes and Avi Cohen (Chairman of the Israeli Players Union and former Goalkeeper for Liverpool, Glasgow Rangers and Israel)
Members of the Bnei Sakhnin Ladies Team		Eliezer Yaari (Director of NIF in Israel) signs a ball against Racism		John Barnes shares a glass of wine with Eyal Berkovic (Israel International and former star for Man City, Southampton, Portsmouth and West Ham) and Brendon Batson (Arsenal, Cambridge Utd and West Brom)
The FA Delegation holds court to Israel's media at the office of the Mayor of Sakhnin		Simon MacDonald, British Ambassador to Israel, endorses the campaign		At the Knesset with MKs Avshalom Vilan and Dani Koren
President Katsav welcomes the Delegation inside his home for the press to see his own personal endorsement of the Campaign