A group of Israeli and Palestinian girls has travelled to Belfast to take part in an annual cross-community sports tournament run by Peace Players International.

The visit brought four Palestinian girls from East Jerusalem and three Israeli girls from West Jerusalem to Stranmillis College for the four-day event. They are members of the only mixed Arab-Jewish team in the Israeli national basketball league, where they play together year-round.

Bella Kovner, managing director of Peace Players International in the Middle East, said the trip was important because of the similar histories and narratives shared between Northern Ireland and the region. She noted that in Israel education systems are divided along religious lines, and children often have their first encounters in negative settings such as military service or university. The girls' team faces harassment from opponents and criticism from some in their own communities, she said, but after the Hamas attack of October 2023 the young players were eager to return to the programme, which they view as a second family.

Gareth Harper, managing director of Peace Players International Northern Ireland, said the visit allowed participants from the Middle East to hear from local peers and young leaders about overcoming division. He recalled that when the organisation started in Northern Ireland some parents threatened legal action against participating schools, making the sharing of experiences valuable for all involved.

Peace Players Northern Ireland works with 1,600 young people annually across 60 primary schools in Belfast. Its programme concludes each summer with a multi-sport tournament featuring football, rugby, Gaelic games, basketball and wiffleball.