RADNOR Palestine Links, in partnership with Unite Community Mid Wales branch, welcomed a team of teenage girl footballers from Abu Dis in Palestine, to Mid Wales.

Brought to Presteigne by the Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association, as part of their week-long tour of the UK, the team of five girls, with their two leaders, visited John Beddoes School where they received a warm welcome from staff and pupils on Wednesday, November 27.

They took part in a discussion session, played a match against John Beddoes’ girls and were treated to lunch and given gifts by the school.

In the afternoon, they visited the Judge’s Lodging museum and were impressed by the fascinating exhibits there.

At an informal evening supper event, they were welcomed to Presteigne by Mayor, Cllr Trevor Owens and met and talked to residents.

They gave a presentation and talked about life under Israeli military occupation in the city of Abu Dis, East Jerusalem, which has been divided in two by the Israeli authorities by a huge concrete wall, separating them from family and friends who live on the other side.

One guest at the event said: “I was proud to be in the company of people of such courage and wish them well in their continuing struggle for freedom.”

The teenage girls from the suburbs of Jerusalem were talking about being young people living in Palestine under Israeli rule. speaking movingly about the many difficulties they faced, particularly with regard to segregation and controls on movement.

One of the group described the difficulties of making her way to and from school in Jerusalem, involving daily crossings of multiple military checkpoints. Another spoke of how different members of her family have been isolated from each other and of the difficulties of living in a house. different parts of which were deemed to be in different territories and so subject to differing controls.

The girls planned to travel on to Bedford and then London, where they would be re-united with another part of the football team that had been visiting other places.

The all-girls team provides them with a communal focus in their difficult lives, and they are hoping that their trip will raise more public awareness of the situation in their homeland.

As a result of the visit to Presteigne, a Radnorshire group supporting Palestine is to be formed.