Gaza An octogenerian American surfer hopes to improve ties between Israelis and Palestinians by sending surf boards to the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported from Jerusalem.
Dorian Paskowitz, an 86-year-old physician, says the idea came to him after reading about Gazans using broken surf boards because they could not buy new ones.
Paskowitz launched the “Surfing for Peace” project on Tuesday together with the “One Voice” organization, which aims to help moderate Israelis and Palestinians promote peace.
“Surfers are ambassadors of health and well-being, and they are also men of peace,” Paskowitz said.
The Californian, who has been surfing for more than half a century, donated a dozen boards to Palestinians on Tuesday and said he hoped to be able to bring Israeli and Gazan surfers to a joint event in Israel in October.
A Palestinian surfer, Ahmad Abu Hussaili, and others managed to meet Paskowitz, his son David and other delegation members inside the Erez Crossing terminal building.