Hapoel Katamon: Football club brings Arabs and Israelis together

    By James Masters

    Updated 1615 GMT (0015 HKT) August 26, 2015

    Hapoel Katamon has breathed new life into Israeli football with an all-inclusive approach. The Jerusalem-based club has won admirers from across Europe for programs which bring together children from vastly different backgrounds.
    Photos: Hope for peace in the Middle East?
    Bridging the divide – Hapoel Katamon has breathed new life into Israeli football with an all-inclusive approach. The Jerusalem-based club has won admirers from across Europe for programs which bring together children from vastly different backgrounds.
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    Katamon is a fan-run club. It holds elections each year, with fans voting for their own representatives to sit alongside private investors on the board.
    Photos: Hope for peace in the Middle East?
    Looking up – Katamon is a fan-run club. It holds elections each year, with fans voting for their own representatives to sit alongside private investors on the board.
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    Hapoel Katamon does not own its own stadium or training facilities -- it rents from the local council. It offers a range of programs for local children, including village leagues, a local academy and a girls' team.
    Photos: Hope for peace in the Middle East?
    Fever pitch – Hapoel Katamon does not own its own stadium or training facilities -- it rents from the local council. It offers a range of programs for local children, including village leagues, a local academy and a girls' team.
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    Hapoel brings together children from the local Arab and Jewish communities within Jerusalem. There are few football programs like it in the city.
    Photos: Hope for peace in the Middle East?
    Fighting prejudice – Hapoel brings together children from the local Arab and Jewish communities within Jerusalem. There are few football programs like it in the city.
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    Playing at Keshet on a turf field surrounded by an athletics track, the team is often cheered on by local supporters. Few clubs can summon this level of support for its junior sides.
    Photos: Hope for peace in the Middle East?
    Playing to the crowd – Playing at Keshet on a turf field surrounded by an athletics track, the team is often cheered on by local supporters. Few clubs can summon this level of support for its junior sides.
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    The Hapoel Katamon girls' team comprises of youngsters from Jewish settlements such as Efrat, as well as Muslims and Christians who live in East Jerusalem. The girls compete in a national league against teams from across the country.<br />