BBC NEWS | In Pictures | In pictures: Surfing for peace

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Tuesday, 21 August 2007, 17:53 GMT 18:53 UK

In pictures: Surfing for peace

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A Palestinian porter pushes surfboards past the security gates of the Erez Crossing, in the Gaza Strip. The boards have been donated to Palestinian youths by an elderly American surfer.

Palestinian men carry the donated surfboards.

Palestinian men carry the donated surfboards.

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Several Israeli companies and donors also contributed to the donation of 12 surfboards. The gesture is part of the wider "Surfing for Peace" movement.

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Dorian Paskowitz, 86, from Hawaii, handed over some of the surfboards himself. The retired Jewish doctor hopes a love of surfing will help bring Israelis and Palestinians together.

Palestinian men carry surf boards onto the beach

Palestinian men carry surf boards onto the beach

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Gaza's surfing community is small. Dr Paskowitz said he was spurred into action after reading about two surfers in Gaza who only had one board to share between them.

A volleyball game on Gaza beach

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The beach is one of the few places Gazans can relax. However, it is closely monitored by the Israeli military which controls the sea off Gaza's coast and the airspace above.

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