Olympics: Israel, Palestine committees to meet in Ramallah

The Israeli and Palestinian Olympic Committees will meet in Ramallah, in the Palestinian territories, before the end of the year, Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), announced on Friday.

This meeting, the third between the two committees, has been tabled to address the problems faced by Israeli athletes competing in Arab countries as well as the issues surrounding athletes from both countries taking part in the Mediterranean Games.

The Israeli Olympic Committee has agreed to go to Ramallah, despite having suggested that the third meeting take place in Tel Aviv.

After the second meeting in Lausanne in May, the two NOCs set up a hotline in order to communicate better.

There are still problems for Palestinian and Jordanian athletes, coaches and officials travelling in the region. The Israelis announced its intention to submit a plan to the (Israeli) government to facilitate the movement of athletes.

In August 2010, the Palestinian Olympic Committee had called on international sporting bodies to take action against Israel because of its refusal to allow Palestinian athletes to move freely after several problems at the border.