Paris Olympics 2024: Joyous reception for Palestinian athletes at airport; Watch

Palestinian athletes were welcomed with enthusiastic cheers and presented with tokens of food and roses upon their arrival in Paris on Thursday The Paris Olympics 2024 contingent arrived prepared to showcase their skills on an international platform representing not only warravaged Gaza but also the broader Palestinian territories As they walked through a sea of Palestinian flags at the main Paris airport they said they hoped their presence would serve as a symbol amid the IsraelHamas war that has claimed more than 39000 Palestinian livesPalestinian athletes welcomed as heroes at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport It is very important that they participate in the Olympic Games in this very hard very complicated year because it is also a sign of hope a sign of existence a participant in the actionhellip pictwittercom1SYbYlB90pmdash Emeka Gift Official EmekaGift100 July 25 2024Athletes French supporters and politicians in the crowd urged the European nation to recognize a Palestinian state while others expressed outrage at Israels presence at the Games after UNbacked human rights experts said Israeli authorities were responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanityThe same report said Palestinian militants committed war crimes during the first months of the war in Gaza which began after Hamas launched deadly attacks on Israel on Oct 7 Israel has rejected the allegations from the independent expertsIn France who doesnrsquot recognize Palestine as a state here is our Palestinian champions standing proudly to compete at the Paris Olympics games 2024 The Palestinian flag will always be raised no one can kill our hope palestine Paris2024 Olympics ParisOlympics pictwittercom8Tj9QpEVj6mdash Palestinians achievements PalAcievements July 25 2024France doesnt recognize Palestine as a country so I am here to raise the flag said Yazan AlBawwab a 24yearold Palestinian swimmer born in Saudi Arabia Were not treated like human beings so when we come play sports people realize we are equal to themWere 50 million people without a country he addedAlso ReadDjokovic Nadal in potential secondround clash at OlympicsAlBawwab one of eight athletes on the Paris Olympics 2024 Palestinian team signed autographs for supporters and plucked dates from a plate offered by a child in the crowdThe chants of free Palestine echoing through the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport show how conflict and the political tension are rippling through the Olympic Games The world is coming together in Paris at a moment of global political upheaval multiple wars historic migration and a deepening climate crisis all issues that have risen to the forefront of conversation in the OlympicsPalestinian ambassador to France Hala Abou called for France to formally recognize a Palestinian state and for a boycott of the Israeli Olympic delegation Abou has previously said she has lost 60 relatives in the warIts welcome that comes as no surprise to the French people who support justice support the Palestinian people support their inalienable right to selfdetermination she saidAmong the large Palestinian diaspora worldwide many of the athletes on the team were born or live elsewhere yet they care deeply about the politics of their parents and grandparents homeland Among them was Palestinian American swimmer Valerie Tarazi who handed out traditional keffiyehs to supporters surrounding her ThursdayYou can either crumble under pressure or use it as energy she said I chose to use it as energyWith AP inputs