Gaza, ALRAY - Hamas Movement praised Algerian Federation of Sports and players of national Pétanque (metal ball throwing) team’s position refusing to play the match against Israel’s team after being qualified for the knockout stages of Junior World Championship held last week in France’s Toulouse. 

Hamas leader Ezzat al-Rishq said Saturday evening in a statement “we are proud of the Algerian position which signifies the Algerian people’s embrace of the justice cause of Palestine,”

The quadrant of Douar Mustapha, Bouzlifa Seif Islem, Semmar Brahim, and Dounayib Nazim decided not to play against Israel’s team in the eighth finals of World Championship which took place in Toulouse, Algerian sport website reported.

Head of the Federation Algerian Sports Boule Abdelaziz Rih said earlier in a press statement “We have decided to withdraw from the eighth finals after Algeria has inherited (Israel) in the knockout final,”

He added that “following the instructions of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, we refused to meet the ‘Zionists’; we were able to participate and end up with the best results as we have great competitors.”