SOURCE: SNTV

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DURATION: 02:59

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

To mark one hundred days to the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, there were celebrations in the West Bank town of Ramallah as Palestinian athletes prepare to attend the London Games.

The event, co-hosted by the British Consulate General in Jerusalem and the Palestine Olympic Committee, kicked off near the grave of late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, a mausoleum in the government compound, also known as the Muqata.

There were plenty of flags and hundreds of Palestinian youths competing in two races, but none of the four prospective Olympians - the two runners and two swimmers are all training abroad ahead of the summer Games.

One of the four team members is from Gaza.

"We are helping them the best we can in Gaza with some equipment and some training and we hope that they will succeed. The very fact that they are taking part in these games of friendship means that Palestine has already succeeded" said Sir Vincent Fean, the British Consul General in Jerusalem.

A British Consulate official in Jerusalem said that the UK government will be providing funding for the Palestinian official tracksuits and suits that the team will wear at Olympic ceremonies.

Jibril Rajoub, Head of Palestinian Sport Union, stressed the importance, though through a "humble" presence, for Palestinians to attend this "moral and humanity event".

"The Olympics are a common interest for the world's nations and Palestinian participation, even if it will be humble (modest) this time, paves the way for the next participation, it makes our people proud, and it makes Palestine rise to the level of being a part of this moral and humanity event and this helps us to carry out a message to the world through sports," Rajoub said.

SHOTLIST: Ramallah, West Bank. 18th April 2012

1. 00:00 People about to cross starting line in 'celebration race'

2. 00:04 T-shirt saying "Palestine Olympic day"

3. 00:10 Cutaway sign saying "London 2012"

4. 00:16 Children running

5. 00:27 Poster reading "London 2012, Palestine's Olympic year"

6. 00:33 SOUNDBITE (English) Vincent Fean, British Consul General in Jerusalem:

"Today we're in the Muqata of Palestine to welcome the fact that in a hundred days there will be representatives of Palestine, in my capital, in London, running and swimming, to represent the Palestinian people along with all the other countries of the world at the Olympic games, the 30th Olympics in London. Immediately after that we have the Para Olympics and a strong team from Gaza will represent you in those games. We wish them well."

7. 01:05 Palestinian team at Muqata

8. 01:10 Officials sitting at ceremony

9. 01:15 Various of band playing

10. 01:39 SOUNDBITE (English) Vincent Fean, British Consul General in Jerusalem:

"We are helping them the best we can in Gaza with some equipment and some training and we hope that they will succeed. The very fact that they are taking part in these games of friendship means that Palestine has already succeeded."

11. 01:54 Children running

12. 02:04 Jibril Rajoub, head of Palestinian sports union walking with official

13. 02:08 SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jibril Rajoub Head of Palestinian Sport Union:

"The Olympics are the common interest for the world's nations, the Palestinian participation, even if it will be humble this time, it paves the way for the next participation, it makes our people proud, and it makes Palestine rise to the level of being a part of this moral and humanity event and this helps us to carry out a message to the world through sports."

14. 02:38 Palestinians waving flags

15. 02:45 Cutaway flags being waved

16. 02:48 Sign saying "Palestine Olympic Day"

17. 02:55 Cutaway Palestinian flag

SOURCE: SNTV

STORYLINE

On Wednesday (9th March) the Palestinian national soccer team lost out on a place at next year's Olympic Games in London after they found themselves on the wrong end of a 6-5 scoreline against Thailand on penalties in Al-Ram on the West Bank.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Bangkok, Abdul Hamid Abuhabib scored the only goal for the home side just before half-time, but they couldn't add to their advantage and after extra time they lost out in the shootout.

However, the game could assume greater importance in the years to come - it marked the first time that Palestine had hosted a competitive match at international level and their fans are hoping that the event represents another step on road to independence.

SUGGESTED VOICEOVER:

The Palestinian national football team played host to Thailand in the second leg of their Olympic qualifier in Al-Ram on the West Bank on Wednesday in a football match of great significance - it was to be the first time that Palestine had hosted an international on home soil.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the head of the Palestinian Football Union, Jibril Rajoub, said it would represent another step on the long road to independence.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)

"For the first time in the history of Palestine under the Palestinian flag we will be hosting the second leg match on the Palestinian land. This step must be a breakthrough for the cause of the Palestinian people, which is independence, freedom and an end to the occupation."

SUPER CAPTION: Jibril Rajoub, Head of the Palestinian Football Union

The match itself was played at the Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium in the West Bank town of Al-Ram and attracted a partisan crowd, hoping for a home victory.

Thailand won the first leg 1-0 in Bangkok and set out to defend their narrow lead - however, Palestine got back on level terms just before half-time when Abdul Hamid Abuhabib scored what turned out to be the only goal of the game.

After a goalless second half and extra time, the dreaded penalty shot-out ensued and to the dismay of the home support, which included Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Jibril Rajoub, the Thais won out by 6 goals to five.

Nevertheless, Wednesday's match did represent a great sporting victory for Palestine.

According to Rajoub, the last time an international athletic competition took place in what are now the Palestinian territories was way back in 1934.

That game was played in east Jerusalem, then part of British Mandatory Palestine prior to Israeli independence in 1948.

The exact history behind the occasion is unclear, but it is believed a British team comprising of both Arabs and Jews lost 4-1 to an Egyptian team.

SHOTLIST:

Ramallah, West Bank. 9th March and Al-Ram, West Bank. 9th March 2011

Ramallah, West Bank:

1. 00:00 Wide shot of press conference

2. 00:07 Cutaway

3. 00:11 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Jibril Rajoub, Head of Palestinian Football Union

Al-Ram, West Bank:

4. 00:49 Various of match action in the second leg of the Palestine-Thailand qualifier

5. 01:06 Mid shot of Palestinian fans waving flags

6. 01:13 Mid shot female Palestinian supporters

7. 01:21 Further of match action

8. 01:58 Mid shot of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam fayyad and Head of Palestinian Football Union Jibril Rajoub

9. 02:07 Further of match action

10: 02:26 Palestinian team in a 'huddle'

The second annual Palestine Marathon took place on Friday (11 April) in Bethlehem.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Runners pounded the streets around the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Friday as 2,500 people took part in the second annual Palestine Marathon.

But the Palestinian Olympic runner, Nader Masri, who lives in the Gaza Strip, was barred by Israel from travelling to the West Bank to participate in the race.

Masri was one of 30 runners prevented from travelling to Bethlehem, highlighting Israel's tight restrictions on travel in and out of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

The Palestine Olympic Committee said 2,500 people took part in the race, including some 700 runners from Europe.

The participants ran a half-marathon course, which is 21.0975 kilometres (13.1 miles) in length.

The race started and finished at the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square and parts of the route followed the Israeli-built West Bank separation barrier.

Israel says the barrier is needed to keep Palestinian attackers out of Israel, while Palestinians say the barrier stifles their towns and villages and cuts them off from their land.

Olympic runner Nader Masri's travel ban was upheld on Tuesday by Israel's Supreme Court, who ruled that they could not intervene in the defence minister's policy considerations, but suggested the military consider more exemptions from the travel ban.

Masri, who participated in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, trains daily on the streets in and around his home town of Beit Hanoun and does three sessions a week in the gym.

He said he was very disappointed not to have been allowed to take part in the Bethlehem race.

Even under Israel's stringent criteria, Masri should have stood a good chance of getting an exit permit.

Those permitted to leave Gaza, at least in principle, include members of the Palestinian Olympic team and the Palestinian football team, according to guidelines published in 2011 by the branch of Israel's military dealing with implementing this policy.

Bethlehem, Palestine - 11th April 2014

1. 00:00 Wide shot of runners at start of marathon

2. 00:05 Medium shot of runners from the back

3. 00:10 Wide shot of runners

4. 00:15 Mid of local scouts handing water to runners

5. 00:21 Mid of runners passing police car

6. 00:26 SOUNDBITE (English) Nazem Al Khatib, secretary general of Palestinian Olympic Committee:

"They are training for one year in Gaza to participate in this marathon but, unfortunately, as usual what (do) the Israelis do - they refuse to give them their permission, without any reason, just they said 'security reasons', without anything (i.e. further).They are participating in Peking and Athens and London some of them. Even that, they didn't give them the permission to come. They reach China but they cannot reach Bethlehem."

7. 00:54 Various of marathon

8. 01:12 SOUNDBITE (English) Jacob Holdt, Danish competitor:

"This peace process runs out on my 67th birthday, on 29th of April, and it will be the biggest gift for me if he (United States Secretary of State John Kerry) could achieve some peace between Palestine and Israel. So I'm running for peace."

9. 01:28 Runners arrive at finish line

10. 01:32 SOUNDBITE (English) Rami, competitor from Ramallah:

"That's amazing actually, many Palestinians can't get out of Palestine, so now we have the world coming to Bethlehem, so this is just amazing."

11. 01:39 Runners celebrating at end of marathon

Beit Hanoun, Gaza Strip - 9th April 2014

12. 01:42 Various of Nader Masri and trainer running through streets

13. 01:56 Various of Nader Masri and trainer stretching

14. 02:07 SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nader Masri, former Olympic competitor from Gaza:

"I'm truly sad. I wish I could participate in this marathon but the circumstances here, which is the Israeli side's rejection (no Israeli permit to cross from Gaza to West Bank), prevents me from participating in it."

15. 02:17 Mid of Nader Masri stretching

16. 02:22 Mid of Nader Masri swinging arms during warm-up

17. 02:27 Wide of Nader Masri and trainer running

SHOTLIST:

Faisal Al-Huseni Stadium, Al Ram, Palestine - 21 May 2013

1. 00:00 Wide shot of flags

2. 00:05 Various of Palestinian women's football team (red shirts) playing Chinese Taipei women's football team (blue shirts)

3. 00:14 Wide shot of fans

4. 00:18 Various of match

5. 00:53 SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Yaheah Salieh, 44 year-old Palestinian fan from Ramallah:

"Frankly, the Palestinian team need to be fitter and more aware tactically in their play and we can see that the Chinese team has better fitness and are sharper tactically, so they are playing better than the Palestinian team."

6. 01:12 Wide shot of fans

7. 01:17 SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Schaller, sport analyst from Freiburg, Germany:

"I think the Palestinians are better than they seem to be maybe or maybe they even think of themselves. So, an argument for that is, for example, the balls that go out and forward very fast and uncontrolled. Even when they conquer the ball, they should try to hold the ball, to pass the ball, to play the ball and it seems obvious that there is some nervousness among them, so if they get cooler in this point they will be even more successful in the future."

8. 01:52 Wide shot of fans

9. 01:57 SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Sahar Salieh, 28 year-old Palestinian fan from Ramallah:

"I want to say, as a Palestinian woman, it's great to see Palestinian women participating and playing football. For sure, they need more training and support, but in the future they will become better."

10. 02:15 Wide shot of Palestinian national women football team with the Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad and the chairman of Palestine Football Association Jibril Rajoub

11. 02:20 SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Israa Alzabon, striker, Palestinian national women's football team:

"We are not happy with the result of the game, 6-0, but the body fitness and the experience of the Chinese players had an effect on this result. For the first 37 minutes they make the first goal and in the next few minutes they had another three goals, so this deflated our spirits."

12. 02:42 Various shots of the match

13. 02:48 Wide shot of screen in English reading TPE 6 PAL 0 at 90 minutes

14. 02:54 Wide shot of teams shaking hands at the end of the game

SOURCE: SNTV

STORYLINE:

Palestine has begun hosting qualifying matches for the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup for the first time, with Group D fixtures taking place at Al Ram's Faisal Al-Huseni International Stadium from Tuesday (21st May) until Saturday (25th May).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Palestine, Chinese Taipei, Myanmar and India will play each other in Al Ram over the course of this week, with the group winners progressing to the AFC Women's Asian Cup finals in Japan next year.

The opening match at the Faisal Al-Huseni Stadium was between Palestine and Chinese Taipei.

It was no surprise that the three-time continental champions won the encounter - 6-0 the scale of Palestine's defeat.

Chinese Taipei went ahead after just five minutes and never looked back.

"Frankly, the Palestinian team need to be fitter and more aware tactically in their play and we can see that the Chinese team has better fitness and are sharper tactically, so they are playing better than the Palestinian team," said spectator Yaheah Salieh from Ramallah.

Fellow fan Sahar Salieh was just pleased to see the Palestinian women's team participate at such a high level.

Lin Ya-han, who opened the scoring, netted twice more in the second half to complete her hat-trick.

"We are not happy with the result of the game, 6-0, but the body fitness and the experience of the Chinese players had an effect on this result," Palestinian striker Israa Alzabon said later.

In Tuesday's other match, Myanmar beat India 2-0.

Palestine take on Myanmar on Thursday (23rd May) in the second round of matches before they complete their programme against India on Saturday.

SNTV Features

Brazilian football star Ronaldo received a hero's welcome in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, with hundreds of well wishers jostling to get a glimpse of the Real Madrid footballer during a visit on Monday. (16th May 2005)

Ronaldo, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Program was on a one day visit to the region which also included a trip to Israel.

He was there to participate in a UNDP project that brings young Israeli and Palestinian football players together.

SUGGESTED VOICE OVER:

Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday (16th May 2005) to greet Ronaldo, the Brazilian football star.

Visiting in his capacity as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Real Madrid player wanted to take a first-hand look at UNDP youth and anti-poverty projects .

Fans - including a busload of Brazilian-born Palestinians wearing the country's yellow-and-green jersey - chanted "Ronaldo, Ronaldo" and pushed the player's bodyguards in an attempt to touch their hero.

Surrounded by a tight ring of bodyguards to get through the chanting crowds, Ronaldo first visited the office of Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia where he signed footballs.

The beaming Qureia escorted Ronaldo out of the building before he continued on to a local school, where the superstar received yet another boisterous welcome.

SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese)

"I only wanted to say how happy I am to be making this visit and how proud I am to see everybody so happy around me. I hope you'll enjoy my presence very much. I thank you for this marvellous reception and I hope to return many more times, always on a mission of peace."

SUPERCAPTION: Ronaldo

During his visit to Ramallah, Ronaldo inaugurated a new Centre for Disadvantaged Youth and visited several anti-poverty UNDP projects.

They include the UNDP's "Football Workshops", which have been designed to promote sport as a forum to teach leadership, confidence, and discipline, based on the principles of tolerance, cooperation, and respect.

Later on, Ronaldo visited Israel as a special guest of the Peres Centre for peace.

Ronaldo and Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres met at the "Twinned Peace Football Schools", which are a part of a Palestinian-Israeli project to bring children closer together through sport.

SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese)

"It's a real pleasure to be here and it's a real pleasure for me to see how many people are happy about my presence. I know that football can bring people together and try and bring about peace and put an end to their problems"

SUPERCAPTION: Ronaldo

Ronaldo was there to meet some 800 young Palestinian and Israeli participants of the project who will play in mixed teams in a tournament held in his honour.

SHOTLIST: Ramallah - Palestine - 16th May 2005

Betuniya checkpoint, near Ramallah, West Bank

1. 00:00 - UN trucks accompany Ronaldo through checkpoint

2. 00:20 - Ronaldo stepping out of car, crowds cheering and chanting his name

Ramallah, West Bank

3. 00:45 - Ronaldo arriving, surrounded by fans and crowds

4. 00:49 - Ronaldo makes his way through the door

5. 01:05 - Meeting Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia

6. 01:12 - Ronaldo signing ball with a placard in yellow with his number "9" on it

7. 01:15 - Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia

8. 01:24 - Ronaldo waves as he leaves

9. 01:35 - Supporters in Brazil shirts cheering in car as they drive past

10. 01:42 - Inside sports centre at Al-Hashimiya school

11. 01:47 - Child holding up Brazil football shirt

12. 01:53 - Ronaldo arrives, and waves

13. 01:58 - Crowd of young fans cheering him as he walks in

14. 02:08 - SOUNDBITE: Ronaldo (Portuguese)

15. 02:43 - Ronaldo leaves surrounded by crowds pushing and shoving to get closer to him

16. 02:51 - Ronaldo, at a new centre named in his honour, posing for photo wearing a Keffiyeh (traditional Palestinian headscarf) with someone holding Palestinian flag behind him

17. 03:00 - His car leaves, surrounded by supporters

Herzliya, Central Israel 16/06

18. 03:15 - Wideshot of fans waiting for Ronaldo

19. 03:20 - Close up of Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres arriving

20. 03:25 - Ronaldo and Shimon Peres walking together

21. 03:36 - Crowds around Ronaldo

22. 03:40 - Shimon Peres

23. 04:46 - Ronaldo and kids in group photo

24. 04:10 - Shimon Peres and Ronaldo together

25. 04:23 - SOUNDBITE: Ronaldo (portuguese)

26. 05:02 - Ronaldo walking among the crowds of fans

Palestinian Football Federation threatens to urge next month's FIFA Congress in Brazil to take sanctions against Israel in protest against alleged recent attacks by soldiers on Palestinian sportsmen in the occupied territories.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Federation (PFF), threatened to call for sanctions against Israel in protest against alleged recent attacks by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian sportsmen.

Rajoub, who is also head of the Palestine Olympic Committee, referred to the recent arrest of a Palestine footballer and the shooting of two other players who were reportedly shot in the legs by Israel soldiers.

Jawhar Nasser Jawhar, 19, and Adam Abd al-Raouf Halabiya, 17, were allegedly shot at al-Zaayyem checkpoint near Abu Dis in Jerusalem as they walked home from their sports club.

Doctors have since confirmed the pair is unlikely to be able to play sports again due to the severity of their injuries.

On returning from Jordan where they received treatment they were arrested.

Last month a player of Palestine national soccer team, Sameh Moraebe, 22, was arrested by Israeli military forces en route to Qatar.

Coach Jamal Mahmoud has denounced the arrest of the players.

PFF is threatening to take its grievances to the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo on June 10th-11th that will be held just before the start of the World Cup in Brazil.

The Palestinians have long accused Israel of restricting sport people's mobility inside the West Bank and between the West Bank and Gaza, preventing players from participating in international tournaments and banning the entry of sports equipment that Palestinian teams and stadiums need.

Israel justifies these measures on security grounds.

Rajoub had previously raised the issue of travel for Palestinian athletes at the FIFA congress in Mauritius in June last year. There, he said that, should the matter not be resolved, he would call on delegates to expel Israel at the next congress

The 150th-ranked Palestine football team's next important international match, when it needs players to travel freely, is at the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup, to be held in the Maldives over May 19-30.

The winner of the eight-nation tournament advances to the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia.

West Bank, Palestine. 13 May, 2014.

1. 00:00 Various of the Palestinian FA head quarter

2. 00:12 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Jibril Rajoub, President Of Palestinian Football Federation (PFF):

" Without a doubt its a provocative act. the shooting and arrest of the players after coming back from a treatment defies the whole world. Israel will pay the price next month's at the FIFA congress".

3. 00:27 Mid of Adam Halabiya in hospital

4. 00:31 Close-up of heart rate monitor

5. 00:35 Close-up of Adam Halabiya

6. 00:39 Close-up of Adam Halabiya hand

7. 00:43 Mid of Jawhar Halabiya

8. 00:47 Close-up of Jawhar Halabiya

9. 00:51 Close-up of Jawhar Halabiya hands

10. 00:55 Mid of Adam Halabiya in hospital

11. 00:59 Close-up of Nasser Jawhar Halabiya

12. 01:03 Mid of Jerusalem

13. 01:07 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Nasser Jawhar Halabiya, Father of Jawhar Halabiya

" Their return was a setback for us, their arrest is setback for us and the country. Everyone were waiting for them to come back safe".

14. 01:18 Various of the palestinian team training

15. 01:30 Close- up of Palestinian coach Jamal Mahmoud talking to the players

16. 01:33 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Jamal Mahmoud, Palestine Coach

" I hope they were with us, because that would be an extra for us, but the occupation always put obstacles for the Palestinian sport".

17. 01:46 Various of the palestinian team training

18. 01:57 Various GV of the West Bank

SHOTLIST:

Ramallah, Jerusalem, Palestine. April 12th, 2013.

1. 00:00 Maher Abu Rmeileh on his motorbike heading to the sports training centre.

2. 00:18 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Maher Abu Rmeileh, Palestinian athlete.

"Of course my dream is to take part in the Olympics held in Brazil four years from now. Then I will work on coaching the Palestinian national team to enable him to achieve Olympic medals, not only national and international medals."

3. 00:36 Abu Rmeileh opening the door of the training centre in Ramallah.

4. 00:43 Abu Rmeileh putting on his training Judo suit.

5. 01:00 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Maher Abu Rmeileh, Palestinian athlete

"I started practising when I was five years old. My father was a Judo coach and he used to take me with him to training until I took part in the Junior championships and I stood out from all other athletes due to my exceptional talent."

6. 01:11 Abu Rmeileh training with team-mates.

7. 01:16 Various training shots.

8. 01:29 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Maher Abu Rmeileh, Palestinian athlete.

"When we received the news that Palestine qualified to the Olympics on merit instead of via wild-card invite, this brought a lot of joy to the Olympians as well as to the Palestinian Olympic Committee because it was the first time this ever happened in Palestine's history."

9. 01:44 Various shots of Maher Abu Rmeileh training with his cousin, Wissam Abu Rmeileh.

10. 02:06 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Wissam Abu Rmeileh, Palestinian athlete & cousin of Maher Abu Rmeileh

"Ever since Maher has participated in the Olympics, I started to take part in championships on his behalf. I have the same weight and the same surname. So sometimes people mistook me for him. That's why I felt responsible that I have to raise Palestine's flag and make my country proud of me. And I started dreaming of qualifying to the Olympics as well."

11. 02:27 Various shots of training.

SOURCE: SNTV.

STORYLINE:

sntv talks to Maher Abu Rmeileh, the first Palestinian athlete to have qualified for an Olympic Games on merit instead of a wild-card invite, when he competed at the 2012 Olympics in London.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Born in East Jerusalem, judo champion Maher Abu Rmeileh is also a family man, with two young sons.

By day, he works in his family's shop selling scarves, by night he heads to the training centre to enhance his techniques, to try and reach higher levels in the years to come.

Abu Rmeileh is ranked 162nd in the world for his category (73-kilograms) by the International Judo Federation.

He was only five years old when his father, Shafik, a judo coach, introduced him to the combat sport.

As he grew up, he took part in several championships; the most recent was the one that allowed him to make history.

Abu Rmeileh competed in an international judo competition in Tokyo in the 73-kg (roughly 161-pound) weight-class and managed to beat several opponents including the best judoka from Hong Kong and, based largely on his scores, he had accumulated the necessary points to qualify for the London Olympic Games.

10 other Palestinian athletes have competed in the Olympics since 1996, but they failed to meet the qualification standard and attended thanks to a special IOC invitation.

Abu Rmeileh, however, is the first to have qualified on his own merit.

In London 2012, he made it to the men's -73kg elimination round of 32, where he was knocked out by Belgian Dirk van Tichelt.

With sweat dripping down his face, and with a broad grin, Abu Rmeileh joyously recalled the day he got the news that he'd qualified for London.

His participation in the Olympics was the culmination of 21 years of practising judo, initially accompanying his judoka father.

At the training centre, one of Abu Rmeileh's cousins, Wassim also aims to reach the Olympics for Palestine.

Even if Maher couldn't achieve the gold medal at London, his qualification has been noted as an outstanding achievement and is surely to inspire the young generation in a country lacking sponsorship and facilities.

World Cup trophy put on display in Ramallah.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The FIFA World Cup arrived on Sunday (10th November) to the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The golden trophy is going on a tour around the world and is scheduled to visit 90 countries during its 267-day duration.

The cup has already been on display in the Caribbean before reaching the Middle East for the first time.

Ramallah, Palestine - 10th November 2013

1. 00:00 Wide shot of Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub and other officials uncovering the World Cup

2. 00:10 Mid shot of same

3. 00:16 Various of trophy

4. 00:25 SOUNDBITE (English) Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub:

"It is an eminence honour and joy for the Palestinian people and for the Palestinian football family to have the World Cup here in Palestine. I think it is a clear cut message to the international community by FIFA that Palestinian sport entity is existing and deserve support and protection from the Israeli occupation."

5. 00:53 Rajoub with officials taking picture near cup

SHOTLIST:

Ramallah, West Bank, Gaza. July 7, 2013.

1. 00:00 Various Palestine Football Association's building

2. 00:14 Mid shot of FIFA President Sepp Blatter during photo-opportunity with Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan (to Blatter's right) and Palestine Football Association's President, Jibril Rajoub (to Blatter's left)

3. 00:21 Wide of news conference

4. 00:23 SOUNDBITE: (English) Sepp Blatter, FIFA President

"I am a citizen of the world, but my heart now beats for Palestine."

5. 00:32 Close up of FIFA and Palestinian flag

6. 00:37 Wide of FIFA President Sepp Blatter exiting Palestine Football Association's building and greeting Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan

7. 00:45 Mid shot of Arab Idol winner, Mohammed Assaf, climbing stairs and being greeted by fans

8. 00:50 Wide of FIFA President Sepp Blatter at photo-opportunity with Palestine Football Association's President, Jibril Rajoub, and Arab Idol winner, Mohammed Assaf

STORYLINE: FIFA president Sepp Blatter continues tour of Palestine on Sunday (July 7).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that his heart "beats for Palestine" while speaking at a press conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday.

Blatter was on a tour of the West Bank and promised to help the Palestinian national football team.

Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Palestine Football Association's President, Jibril Rajoub, joined Blatter at the press conference, along with the winner of the "Arab Idol" reality show, Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf.

Members of the Palestinian squad are split between the West Bank and Gaza and are often unable to move from one territory to the other due to Israeli security restrictions.

At the FIFA Congress held in Mauritius in May, football's governing body called on Blatter to try to improve the situation of football in Palestine.

On Sunday, Blatter urged Israel to remove the travel restrictions and give greater respect to Palestinian athletes, saying that the current situation violates FIFA's charter.

"I'm on a mission...to transmit to the political authorities in Israel the problems that you are facing here," Blatter told an audience at Al-Najah University in the West Bank city of Nablus.

The crowd included Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, who praised Blatter for his contributions to global and Palestinian sports.

Blatter also received an honorary Ph.D. in administration from the university.

Blatter said that he would invite Assaf to sing at the World Cup in Brazil next year.

Blatter began his visit in the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, where he inaugurated a new football pitch sponsored by FIFA.

SHOTLIST:

Tulkarem, northern West Bank - 7th July 2013

1. 00:00 Wide shot of helicopter carrying FIFA President Sepp Blatter landing

2. 00:08 Mid of Blatter welcomed by Palestinian officials

3. 00:14 Wide shot of band playing music welcoming Blatter

4. 00:19 Mid of Blatter cutting ribbon

5. 00:27 Close up of sign

6. 00:31 Wide shot of Blatter with Palestinian youth soccer players pausing for picture

7. 00:36 Wide shot of Palestinian youth players practising

8. 00:41 Mid of youths practising

9. 00:46 Mid of Blatter shaking hands with Palestinian officials

10. 00;52 Blatter standing during Palestinian anthem

11. 00:57 SOUNDBITE (English) Sepp Blatter, FIFA President:

"Football shall give hope, hope for you, hope especially for this country, for this city, for this population, for Palestine, lot of hope for Palestine."

12. 01:10 Mid of children in traditional costumes holding flowers

13. 01:13 SOUNDBITE (English) Sepp Blatter, FIFA President:

"I am an optimist, and I'm looking forward to a very proud and bright future of your country, of the Palestinian population, and especially we can help through football and through sports."

13. 01:31 Wide shot of crowd clapping

14. 01:36 Mid of Blatter holding flowers with children dressed in traditional costume

Nablus, northern West Bank - 7th July 2013

15. 01:41 Crowd applauding as Blatter enters hall

16. 01:49 Mid of Blatter seated with Palestinian prime minister Rami Al-Hamdallah

17. 01:54 Various of Blatter getting an honorary PHD

18. 02:00 SOUNDBITE (English) Sepp Blatter, FIFA President:

"I'm in a mission, I'm in a sports diplomatic mission to transmit to the political authorities in Israel the problems that you are facing here with the football, with the controls they are making in your football organisations."

19. 02:21 Mid of Blatter handing FIFA flags to Palestinian officials

20. 02:32 End shot of Blatter leaving

STORYLINE:

During his tour of the West Bank on Sunday (7th July), FIFA President Sepp Blatter promised to help the Palestinian national team.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Members of Palestine's football squad are split between the West Bank and Gaza, often unable to move from one territory to the other due to Israeli security restrictions.

At the FIFA Congress held in Mauritius in May, football's governing body called on President Sepp Blatter to "try to improve the situation of football in Palestine".

On Sunday, Blatter urged Israel to remove the travel restrictions and give greater respect to Palestinian athletes, saying that the current situation violates FIFA's charter.

"I'm on a mission... to transmit to the political authorities in Israel the problems that you are facing here," Blatter told an audience at Al-Najah University in the West Bank city of Nablus.

The crowd included Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, who praised Blatter for his contributions to global and Palestinian sports.

Blatter received an honorary Ph.D. in administration from the university.

"I'm a global citizen but my heart beats for Palestine," said Blatter, adding he would invite Mohammed Assaf, the Palestinian singer who won the "Arab Idol" reality show, to sing at the World Cup in Brazil next year.

Blatter began his latest visit in the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, where he inaugurated a new $500,000 football pitch sponsored by FIFA. He was greeted by folk dancing and flowers carried by young girls in traditional Palestinian costumes.

While Blatter sounded positive notes, telling the crowd that soccer "shall give hope, hope for you, hope for Palestine," the president of the Palestine Football Association was more critical.

"(Blatter) is here to dissolve the Israeli occupation's siege on Palestinian sport," Jibril Rajoub said. Later, during a speech at An-Najah University, he claimed "there should be no place (in FIFA and the Olympics) for those who continue their racist policy."

Rajoub said Blatter will meet Israeli officials this week and convey the FIFA Congress' call for Israel to ease restrictions on Palestinian players. The Israeli Football Association said it wouldn't comment until it had met Blatter.

Blatter is scheduled to visit several more FIFA-sponsored projects in the West Bank later on Sunday.

SUGGESTED LEAD-IN:

Bahaa al Farra will become one of four athletes to represent Palestine at the London Olympics later this year.

The 20-year old will take part in the 400 metres at the Games - and will be the only athlete to hail from Gaza, with the other three athletes coming from the West Bank.

SUGGESTED VOICEOVER:

For training on Gaza's bumpy streets, 400-meter runner Bahaa al-Farra wears cheap sneakers, saving his professional running shoes, a gift from Qatar, for official competitions.

The 20-year-old will compete for Palestine in the London Olympics this summer, along with another runner and two swimmers. The lack of proper equipment and training facilities are typical of the difficulties Palestinian athletes have faced since they first competed in the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996.

Now preparing for their fifth Summer Games, the Palestinians are no closer to winning a medal than they were in that first competition.

None of the four athletes competing in London has reached the minimum qualifying standard, but they are able to participate because of special allowances made by the International Olympic Committee for some developing nations.

With medals out of reach, the Palestinian athletes are mainly driven by the thrill of representing their homeland, even if it's not yet a state and might not be for a long time to come.

The Palestinians only have partial control over areas they want for a future Palestine - lands captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast War - and two decades of intermittent negotiations with Israel over setting up their state haven't yielded results.

Al-Faraa's coach, Majed Abu Maraheel, recalled the thrill of waving the Palestinian flag for the first time at the 1996 Olympics, just two years after Palestinians won limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank and Gaza, the areas that are to make up Palestine, along with east Jerusalem.

"It sent a message to the world that the Palestinians also have the right to be in the Games," said Abu Maraheel, 48, who competed in the marathon at the time, placing 34th. On Thursday, he ran in a Gaza marathon and relay race to raise funds for U.N.-sponsored children's summer camps.

The coach, a former officer in the elite guard unit of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, said he hopes al-Farra will go further than he did at the Olympics. For now, the runner's personal best of 49.04 seconds is more than 3 seconds above the Olympic qualifying minimum, but al-Farra hopes to get faster.

Starting in April, al-Farra and female 800-meter runner Wuroud Maslaha, 19, from the West Bank city of Nablus, will train for three months in a fully equipped athletic camp in Qatar, said Palestinian Olympic Committee official Hani al-Halabi.

Swimmer Sabine Hazboun, 17, has been training in Spain for the past seven months and 20-year-old Ahmed Jibril, based in Cairo, is joining her there this week, the Olympic official said. Hazboun competes in the 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly, while Jibril swims the 400-meter freestyle, al-Halabi said.

For al-Farra, training has mostly meant running for three hours every morning along Gaza's potholed coastal road and then hitting the gym in the afternoon.

Densely populated Gaza is poorer than the West Bank, in part because of a border blockade enforced by Israel and Egypt after the violent takeover of the territory by the Islamic militant Hamas in 2007.

Al-Farra started training in a local sports club seven years ago. His mother has been supportive, he said, trying to serve healthy food despite the family's small income.

Next week (March 9-11) he is to compete in the indoor athletics world championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

Al-Farra said he loves the thrill of running and will be proud to present Palestine in London, but that more than anything else, he wants to win.

Gaza City, Gaza - 1st March 2012

1. 00:00 - Bahaa al-Farra carrying his medals walking into room

2. 00:05 - Medium shot of Bahaa al-Farra sitting on sofa holding his medals and talking to journalist

3. 00:12 - Mid of Bahaa al-Farra talking to journalist

4. 00:17 - Close-up shot of medals laid on coffee table

5. 00:23 - Close-up shot of accreditation reading: "IAAF World Championship Bahaa AL FARRA Athlete Palestine"

6. 00:27 - Farra taking out shoes from closet saying

7. 00:37 - Close-up shot of Farra holding his shoes speaking to journalist

8. 00:41 - Bahaa al-Farra walking down street

9. 00:47 - Bahaa Al Farra stretching with the help of coach Majed Abu Maraheel

10. 00:55 - Bahaa warming up

11. 01:02 - Wide of Bahaa warming up

12. 01:15 - Medium shot of Bahaa training in gym

13. 01:31 - SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bahaa Al Farra: "I'm very happy that I am carrying the message for my Palestinian people, I am the only Palestinian candidate, I mean from Gaza, I hope to have the chance to achieve my dream when I reach the competition and be at the top."

14. 01:49 - Coach demonstrating exercise to Bahaa

15. 01:55 - SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Majed Abu Maraheel Bahaa's coach: "This well be the chance to represent Palestine in a good shape, in nice way. If God willing he will achieve a good position and good timing (result)."

16. 02:04 - Medium shot of Bahaa training in the gym

SHOTLIST

Ram - 26 October, 2008

1. Wide exterior of Faisal Husseini International Stadium

2. Mid of men sweeping

3. Mid of excavator at stadium

4. Various of man painting stadium wall

5. Pan of stadium

6. Palestinian flag (middle) and flags depicting Jordan King Abdullah bin al-Hussein and late Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

7. Close up of flag depicting Jordan King Abdullah bin al-Hussein

8. Various of men placing advertisement banner in stadium

9. Various of pitch and seating stands in stadium

10. Mid of Palestinian flags at stadium

Ram - 20 October, 2008

11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Alan, Palestinian team player:

"It's a very good feeling to play this match on our home land and between our people and it means a lot that this match will be in Jerusalem."

12. Wide pan of stadium

Ramallah - 24 October, 2008

++NIGHT SHOTS++

13. Various of Jordanian team arriving in Ramallah

14. Jordanian football team being welcomed by music performers

15. Jordanian football team watching music performance

16. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mahmoud Khalifa, Jordan team manager:

"We are very happy to be here in Palestine, it's a pleasure for the Jordanian national team to play this match with our brothers, the Palestinian national team. The match will be a friendly match. This is one of the most important games for us. We have suffered in the last two days to come here but in the end we arrived. We hope this match will show the high level of both football teams."

17. Mid of Mahmoud Khalifa sitting down talking

18. Mid of music performance

STORYLINE

The Palestinian national football team has been preparing to play its first international match on home soil, at the Faisal Husseini International Stadium in the West Bank town of Ram, just outside Jerusalem.

Palestine will host Jordan in an exhibition match at the stadium, after ten years of playing "home" games in Jordan and Qatar.

The stadium has now been upgraded to meet the standards set by football's governing body, FIFA (the International Federation of Football Association).

FIFA President Sepp Blatter will attend Sunday's match against Jordan in the 6-thousand seat stadium, which has been renovated at a cost of 4 million US dollars.

Blatter is attending the game as part of a four-day visit to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Palestine is rated 180th of 207 nations in the FIFA rankings, peaking at Number 115 in April 2006, while Jordan is ranked 112.

Travel for away games has been complicated for the Palestinian team, who failed to arrive for a recent World Cup qualifier in Singapore because of travel restrictions imposed by Israel.

Eighteen players and officials living in the Gaza Strip were denied travel permits.

This time too, several team members were still stuck in Gaza and are waiting for Israeli permits to come to the West Bank.

Israel has declared Gaza "hostile territory" and allows only humanitarian hardship cases to leave.

Hosting an international match is a point of pride for many Palestinians, as Palestine's decade-old team has previously been obliged to stage games it should have held at home in Jordan and Qatar instead.

Sport is the only field in which a Palestinian state is officially recognised, and so holds an important place in the hearts of Palestinians, whether resident in the Palestinian territories or members of the Palestinian diaspora, from which several players are drawn, from as far afield as Chile.

Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Football Association, called it "a very important moment for the Palestinian people and for the Palestinian football family."

The Palestinian team also boasts players from the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza.

Players from the Gaza Strip were having difficulties getting to the West Bank - six of the team's 26 members, including its captain Saeb Jundiyeh, were still in Gaza, awaiting word from Israel on whether they would be permitted to travel to the West Bank.

Israeli officials had no immediate comment on the travel request.

Gaza has been virtually cut off from the world since the Islamic militant Hamas seized control of the territory in June 2007.

Hamas and the Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who runs the West Bank, are bitter rivals. Gaza and the West Bank lie on opposite sides of Israel.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter met with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas on Monday (26th May), as part of his regional tour to Jordan, Palestine and Israel.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

FIFA president Sepp Blatter described himself as "a self-declared ambassador of the Palentinian people" after meeting Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Monday (26th May).

President Abbas had earlier criticised Israeli interference in the affairs of the Palestinian Football Association and called for action.

"We consider ourselves as an active FIFA member, the Israeli government continues placing obstacles for our activities and to be honest with you these Israeli obstacles violate international law and the FIFA legislations. And the Israeli (football) Federation if it continues obeying the Israeli government orders and practices, it must be held accountable" Abbas said.

On Tuesday (27th May) Sepp Blatter will have a meeting with the Israel Football Association (IFA) and Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu, and the FIFA President expects those meetings to be trickier, but he's determined to improve relations between the two countries through football.

"It's easy to deal with you Mr Abbas and your government and your sports authorities Mr Rajoub (General Jibril Rajoub), it's really easy to deal. It will not be so easy to deal on the other side, but I am an optimist and being an optimist we shall try and we shall find a solution, a solution that sport is not politics, but sport, in this case football, can help to solve a problem. And if we are able to solve this problem it could be also a good, let's say, step to solve other problems that you have in this region."

Ramallah, Palestine - 26th May 2014.

1. 00:00 Mid shot of FIFA Vice President Prince Ali Bin Hussein and FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

2. 00;07 Mid shot of delegates.

3. 00:11 Wide shot of FIFA Vice President Prince Ali Bin Hussein, FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

4. 00:19 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian president:

"Nonetheless, we consider ourselves as an active FIFA member, the Israeli government continues placing obstacles for our activities and to be honest with you these Israeli obstacles violate international law and the FIFA legislations. And the Israeli (football) Federation if it continues obeying the Israeli government orders and practices, it must be held accountable."

5. 01:16 Wide shot of press conference.

6. 01:22 Close up of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas listening to Sepp Blatter.

7. 01:29 SOUNDBITE: (English) Sepp Blatter, FIFA president.

"I am happy to be with you in this moment with the vice-president of FIFA for Asia Prince Ali Bin Hussein and the other delegates here present in order to try, not only to try, but I think to enable us to solve a problem, an ongoing problem, which is between your nation, your people, your country, together with your neighbours Israel."

8. 02:11 Cutaway of delegates.

9. 02:16 SOUNDBITE: (English) Sepp Blatter, FIFA president:

"President Abbas be ensured that I am not only a friend of Palestine, I am, as you have written to me once, I am a self-declared ambassador of the Palentinian people."

10. 02:38 Cutaway of delegates.

11. 02:42 SOUNDBITE: (English) Sepp Blatter, FIFA president:

"It's easy to deal with you Mr Abbas and your government and your sports authorities Mr Rajoub (General Jibril Rajoub), it's really easy to deal. It will not be so easy to deal on the other side, but I am an optimist and being an optimist we shall try and we shall find a solution, a solution that sport is not politics, but sport, in this case football, can help to solve a problem. And if we are able to solve this problem it could be also a good, let's say, step to solve other problems that you have in this region."

12. 03:31 End of press conference, Sepp Blatter and Mahmoud Abbas embrace and Blatter gives a pennant to Abbas.

SNTV looks at beach football in the Middle East which is gaining popularity in the the Gaza Strip.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The beating sun that heats up the beach-side of the Gaza Strip and poor facilities are not enough deterrents for the determined beach soccer players of the troubled region.

Though a relatively new sport, beach football is gaining popularity, especially after the success of the national team in a regional competition.

Despite the poor make-shift training ground, and their underdog status, they reached the semi-finals of 2012 Asian Beach Games in Haiyang, China, only losing to Iran who went on to win the tournament.

Mohammed Dahman said that success had attracted a new generation of promising players to the sport.

He hoped the authorities and FIFA will invest more in the development of the sport.

After the success in China - and the improvement of the ranking to the 6sixth in Asia - a national league competition is being developed and a new proper ground is now under construction.

Coach Emad Hashim was optimistic these steps will pave the way for more success and attract even more players to the sport.

Gaza, Gaza Strip. 19 August 2013.

1. 00:00 Various of warm up and training session

2. 00:31 SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohammed Dahman, Palestinian player:

"This sport is now popular because (the national team of) Palestine excelled in it. There is a promising new generation of players. We hope that the Palestinian Football Association and FIFA's beach football division will provide the team with the necessary facilities, so that it becomes stronger and capable of competing with other teams."

3. 00:58 Various of training session

4. 01:16 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Mohammed Dahman, Palestinian player:

"There are some difficulties in playing beach football, but they are not major ones. The only difficulty (in comparison with usual football) relates to the nature of the pitch. Otherwise, the skills and techniques are similar to those of usual football. Thanks be to God, we have been able to shoulder the responsibility and make some advances in this sport for Palestine."

5. 01:41 Various of training session

6. 02:08 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Emad Hashim, Coach:

"After winning the bronze medal in Asia, having come third, and the improvement of our ranking to sixth in Asia, we've started developing various projects. These include organising a league competition in the Gaza Strip and Palestine which will enable us to select the national team. Also among our projects is the development of a proper specialist beach football ground, this ground we are using now, which is under construction."

7. 02:40 Various of the training session

SHOTLIST

1. Wide of street

2. People holding sign reading: "Welcome in Palestine"

3. Wide of women walking through checkpoint

4. Mid of women passing through checkpoint

5. Women getting on their bicycles

6. Set up of Detta Riegel, peace activist from England

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Detta Riegel, peace activist:

"Well, we actually started in Lebanon with over 300 women, but of course the Arab women weren't able to enter Palestine and so we are now 125 women from about 30 different countries, so many different countries."

8. Back of woman wearing shirt with the word "Italia"

9. Women walking with bicycles, bystanders handing out flowers

10. Women cycling through Ramallah, Palestinian security overlooking

11. Wide of women cycling, waving to people

12. Cyclists being escorted by security forces

13. Women cycling uphill

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Detta Riegel, peace activist:

"The message is we want to really, make the politicians listen to us, to really speed up the roadmap to peace, for a just peace for Palestine."

15. Women walking with their bicycles

STORYLINE

A group of 125 women cyclists gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Friday morning on a unique peace mission.

Coming from all corners of the world, they started in Lebanon and cycled through Jordan and Syria before arriving at Ramallah.

The Syrian and Jordanian cyclists were not able to enter the city due to current travel restrictions.

The women cycled through the streets of Ramallah escorted by Palestinian security forces.

Palestinians waited for them on the streets and handed them flowers, welcoming them to the area.

One of the women, Detta Riegel from England, said she hoped the venture will help focus politicians' attention on the peace process.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has drawn much international attention over the years and many international peace activists are involved in bringing peace to the region.

The participants of this campaign will return to Jordan on Saturday.

SHOTLIST:

Bethlehem, Palestine - 3rd August 2013

1. 00:00 Mid shot of Gerardo Martino

2. 00:07 Wide of players walking

3. 00:22 Dani Alves walking up to microphone

4. 00:24 Wide of players and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas

5. 00:37 Close up of Lionel Messi

6. 01:05 Abbas and Barcelona president Sandro Rosell shaking hands

7. 01:14 Wide of players posing for photograph

8. 01:27 Various of players onto team bus

9. 01:50 Bus departs

STORYLINE:

Barcelona paid a visit to Bethlehem and met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as part of their two day visit in Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Barcelona - along with new head coach Gerardo Martino - have arrived in Israel and Palestine for a two day visit.

After touching down at Israel's Ben Gurion airport, the Spanish champions headed to the West Bank.

They arrived at the church of nativity in Bethlehem for a visit and tour. Following the visit to the church they met with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas at his office in Bethlehem.

The Team will continue to Hebron in the West Bank where they are expected to participate in a celebration honouring their arrival and meet with Palestinian children.

STORYLINE

UEFA President Michel Platini visited Ramallah in the West Bank on Wednesday (7th October 2009) and pledged his support to help football develop in the Palestinian territories.

The Frenchman visited Yasser Arafat's grave and met with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad during his visit in a trip aimed at promoting football as a way of bringing peace to the region.

SUGGESTED VOICEOVER:

UEFA President Michel Platini visited the Palestinian national side on Wednesday as the Frenchman toured Ramallah in the West Bank in a trip aimed at promoting football as a way of bringing peace to the region.

The Palestinian team are one of the newest members of the FIFA family, and played their first home match as recently as 2008 against Jordan.

The side play in a recently renovated stadium, and the match against Jordan drew over 7000 spectators.

The team is seen as a symbol of hope in the region, and Platini was there to show his support for the team.

He then visited the grave of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to pay his respects, before heading to a meeting with Palestinian officials and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Platini received a medal from the committee of religions in honour of his help in developing football in the region, and the former world player of the year explained he saw football as a means to bring about peace.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"I used this opportunity to be in Jerusalem to come see my friend in Palestine and to go to Jordan this afternoon to see Prince Ali and to speak about friendship, about football, and the development of football and what we can do in the football, not always in money or in infrastructure but in values, and what we can do for peace, what we can do for the youth and what we can do for the young football players that are here in Palestine and they would like to play football."

SUPER CAPTION: Michel Platini, UEFA President

Platini has been touring the region in recent days. On Tuesday he was in neighbouring Israel and met with Israeli president Shimon Peres and he is scheduled to meet Jordanian leader

Prince Ali bin al Hussein later on Wednesday.

SHOTLIST:

Ramallah, West Bank, 7 October 2009

1. 00.00 Medium shot Platini shaking hands with Palestinian national football team

2. 00.09 Pan Left showing Platini meeting Palestinian national football team staff

3. 00.13 Pan left showing Platini kicking ball Palestinian national football team

4. 00.22 Zoom out showing Platini with Palestinian national football team

5. 00.30 Exterior of Arafat's grave

6. 00.33 Tilt up Platini visiting Arafat's grave

7. 00.49 Tilt down showing exterior Prime Minister office in Ramallah

8. 00.56 Various of Michel Platini meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and receiving medal

9. 01.15 SOUNDBITE: (English) Michel Platini, UEFA President

10. 01.55 Exterior Prime Minister office in Ramallah

SOURCE: SNTV

SHOTLIST

AP Television

Gaza City - 23 August, 2007

1. Wide of players in soccer stadium

2. Various of Palestinian teenagers from the Palestinian under-19 team training

3. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Muhammad Swairki, one of the players:

"We were surprised. After training for two months under the conditions of siege and in these difficult circumstances, we were looking forward to go out to play in England, to see the British people and to play on pitches we only see in television. But we were disappointed from the message coming from the British embassy (meaning consulate) in Jerusalem that it refuses to let the team go, for reasons I cannot understand."

4. Various of players training

5. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Coach of Palestinian under-19 soccer team Abdul Hai Qassem:

"We think that soccer is an international language of understanding, a language that exists in every place of the world. We hoped that our boys would meet the British people and we would change their (the players) opinion about the outside world."

6. Players training in stadium

AP Television News

FILE Jerusalem - 4 July, 2007

7. Mid of British flag on pole

8. Mid of sign at entrance to consulate

9. Car driving through gate of consulate

STORYLINE

The British consulate in Jerusalem has refused to issue visitor visas to a team of under-19 soccer players from Gaza who have been invited to play two games in England.

The consulate denied the requests of all players and their accompanies such as the coach and other adults that were supposed to travel with them.

The British consulate would only say in response that none of the 25 applications submitted met the criteria for visa according to the immigration laws of the UK.

The tour, which included games with Chester City and Blackburn Rovers' youth teams, was organised by Chester and Palestine Exchanges (Cape) and the University of Chester with the support of the Palestine and English Football Associations.

The players had been training for two months for the event and were disappointed to find out they won't be able to participate in the games eventually.

"We were looking forward to go out to play in England, to see the British people and to play on pitches we only see in television," said one of the players Muhammad Swairki.

"But we were disappointed from the message coming from the British embassy (meaning consulate) in Jerusalem that it refuses to let the team go, from reasons I can not understand", he added.

The team's coach, Abdul Hai Qassem, complained that their requests were rejected because officials apparently believe they will not return to Gaza strip due to the poor situation there.

Qassem claims this fear is unjustified because Palestinians love their country don't want to be elsewhere.

He also expressed his disappointment at the refusal.

"We think that soccer is an international language of understanding, a language that exists in every place of the world. We hoped that our boys would meet the British people and we would change their (the players) opinion about the outside world," he said.

The consulate said it regretted being unable to support a worthy cause and declined to be interviewed on the issue.

SHOTLIST

1. Yellow car at start of rally, flag is raised and it speeds off

2. Red car speeds off as flag is raised

3. Audience of men whistling

4. Another car starts rally

5. Wide of site of car rally

6. Various of cars waiting for race to begin

7. Close up on starting gun firing shot to signal the beginning of rally

8. First car driving away from start point

9. Wide of crowd cheering near race track

10. Driver preparing car to race

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Hatem Omari, marketing manager, British American Tobacco (BAT):

"This is the first Palestinian rally for the cars, the first time that Palestinians had the opportunity to be in real adrenalin sport which they could put all their efforts and their hopes into building a new sport in Palestine."

12. Drivers weave their way round tyres in road

13. Cars skid round corner

14. Men on top of building watching

15. Wide top shot course

16. Trophy cup

17. Car skids round corner and crosses finish line

STORYLINE

Palestinian drivers came from all corners of the West Bank to Ramallah on Friday to participate in the first ever Palestinian motor rally, some travelling along dirt roads to skirt around Israeli army checkpoints.

The air was filled with the smell of burnt rubber as hundreds of Palestinians lined the paved route on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Ramallah.

They cheered and whistled in delight as the BMWs, Peugeots and Subarus skidded around curves through rocky hills.

The rally provided a welcome respite for from four-and-a-half years of violence with Israel.

The course was 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) long and drivers raced it individually in a time trial.

The winner of the race was Rami Jaber from Ramallah who drove a 2004 Audi.

The course took him two minutes and 10 seconds to complete.

Five drivers from distant parts of the West Bank were prevented by Israeli army checkpoints from reaching the race, organisers said.

Others manoeuvred their shiny cars over dirt roads to avoid the checkpoints to get to the race.

One car, a red Peugeot 206, was draped in a Palestinian flag at the start and a sticker on the windscreen read "Freedom Team."

The cars varied from an old four-door Fiat to BMWs and Mercedes that looked brand new.

The competitors included one woman, Rand Abu Hajer, who said she had not trained and wouldn't exceed 80 kilometres (50 miles) an hour, but couldn't resist the temptation to participate in the "historic event."

SHOTLIST:

East Jerusalem - 8 Jan 2004

1. Wide shot showing plastic sheeting covering swimming pool

2. Raad Aweisat at locker putting on goggles

3. Raad in mirror

4. Raad walking to pool past small cave

5. Raad diving into water

6. Various swimming

7. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Raad Aweisat, athlete:

"With such conditions it's possible to deliver something, but if we have a better institution, a better pool, better training facilities, then for sure we'll deliver better and get to the required level."

8. Closeup of stopwatch

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Hussein Aweisat, Raad's father and coach:

"The sport is the best way to the peace, and the sport is the relationship between all the nations. I hope to go to the Olympiad in Athens. Maybe it's a good way for all the people in the world to see my swimmer and the miserable situation here. You can see the high level and good swimmers in the national team for Palestine. I don't really know, but it's OK, for me it's OK. This is the best way go to Athens. No other way, just this."

10. Coach (father) and swimmer

11. Raad swimming

12. Wide shot of plastic over swimming pool

STORYLINE:

A 17 year old Arab from East Jerusalem plans to become the first Palestinian to represent his people in an Olympic swimming event when he competes in the 100-metre butterfly event in Athens later this year.

The sheer thought of representing the Palestinian people in the 2004 Olympics is enough motivation for Raad Aweisat to train in mid winter, but conditions are far from ideal.

Nylon sheets surround the pool from all sides, keeping in the minimal heat. The smell of chlorine soaks the steam-filled pool hall, which has no ventilation.

"With such conditions it's possible to deliver something," Aweisat said, "but if we have a better institution, a better pool, better training facilities, then for sure we'll deliver better and get to the required level."

Aweisat used to practice at the West Jerusalem YMCA. But after intifada began more than three years ago, the YMCA told him to join the Israeli Swimming Federation or find somewhere else to swim, according to his father, Hussein.

So the Aweisats and members of the Palestinian Swimming Federation banded together to extend the village pool, located in the backyard of several connected homes.

Raad's father is also his coach. Hussein supervises Raad's training in between work as a cardiology technician at a Jerusalem hospital.