In an old cafe in downtown Gaza City, several unemployed Olympics fans sat down to follow Beijing Olympic games to support their team, especially athlete Nadder al- Masri, from northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun.

"As you see, we gather here to follow the news of our national team to the Olympics," said Nemer Abu Shaaban, 25, from Gaza City.

"It was indescribable to see our national team among others nations' teams in this worldwide sports event."

It is well-known that the Palestinians follow news focusing on their plight, but they also follow the news of their country's achievements in all walks of life, especially sports.

In Gaza, hundreds of people eagerly follow any news related to the Olympic Games held in Beijing, China. They follow the news on televisions, local radio stations and on the internet.

Abu Shaaban believes that joining such a sports event is an indication that the Palestinian dream to have an independent Palestine is coming true.

"I know the athletes might not get a medal in this Olympics, and we only hope that they do well enough, " he said.

He recalls how excited and emotional people got when they saw their team on TV at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games days ago in Beijing.

"An old man almost broke into tears, saying, 'How nice it is to see Palestine's flag fluttering in the sky along with other nations' flags,'" he said.

Teams from the Palestinian territories, represented by the Palestine Olympic Committee, have competed at the Summer Olympics since 1996 under the name Palestine.

This time, the Palestinian Olympic Committee has sent a team to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics. The Palestinian delegation consists of two runners -- Nader al-Masri from Gaza and Ghadeer Ghuruf from Jericho, the West Bank, and two swimmers -- Hamza Abdo and Zakya Nassar from the West Bank.

Al-Masri, who will participate in the 5,000 meter, is the only athlete from the Gaza Strip.

To many of their Olympic peers, the training conditions for the Palestinian athletes are unthinkable. Al-Masri did not even have a pair of proper shoes and his training track was a rocky bumpy way close to the borderline with Israel in Biet Hanoun town, north of Gaza.

Ghadeer Ghuruf, from Jericho will be participating in the 100 meter sprint. She received training in Jericho, with almost no athletic facilities. She said she trained on a surface of clay.

Swimmer Hamza Abdo from East Jerusalem, had only an 18 meter pool rather than a standard Olympic-sized 50 meter pool for his training.

He used to be trained in a swimming hall surrounded by huge nylon sheets to keep the heat. The smell of chlorine permeated the steam-filled hall.

Coach of Swimmer Zakiya Nassar said she faced severe difficulties in training, due to her lack of access to a swimming pool, adding that there is no Olympic-sized pool in the Palestinian territories, let along any budget to speak of for the Palestinian Olympic swimmers.

Like any Palestinian who wants to travel abroad, the team experienced hardships making its way to China. Among them, the three members from Jerusalem and the West Bank were much luckier than their mate from Gaza, Masri.

Al-Masri had been unable to leave for the games because Israel and Egypt sealed Gaza's borders after Hamas militants took over the territory in June. Israel only gave Masri special permission to leave Gaza for the West Bank following pleas from human rights activists, from where he headed to China.

Saba'a Jarrar, head of Public Relations of Palestine Olympic Committee, said Palestinian participation in the Olympics affirms the existence of Palestine among the countries of world and its pursuit of peace.

"The participation will also improve our relations with other countries," said Jarra. "Sport is the best messenger between nations."

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2008)