MONROVIA, Liberia – Liberian president George Manneh Weah, a retired professional soccer player and the 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year, was welcomed to Jerusalem with his very own Israeli jersey, bearing the number he made famous, the number 14.
During his heydays as an iconic footballer, Weah, who starred for several European clubs including PSG and AC Milan, became the first-ever African to win the World Best footballer title in 1995 – also winning the Europe Best and Africa Best footballer titles in the same year.
It can be recalled that at an elaborate ceremony last year, President Weah retired his number 14 shirt, at the Samuel Kayon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, Liberia.
Howbeit, the Mayor of the City of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion gave President George Weah a ‘footballer’s welcome’ on Wednesday at the Kraft Family Sports Center in Jerusalem.
President Weah arrived in Israel on Monday for a four day visit to among others ask for Jerusalem’s engagement in Liberia’s Pro-poor Agenda for Development and Prosperity initiated by his administration almost a year after he was sworn in as president. The president’s delegation includes his wife, First Lady Clar Weah, seven ministers, the chairman of Liberia’s National Investment Commission and the major of the city of Monrovia, Jefferson Tamba Koijee.
The Jerusalem municipality hosted Weah at a football event at the sports center in Emek Ha’arazim on Wednesday evening.
During the occasion, President Weah said: “In the future, you can be anything you want, even presidents, the discipline and the hard work that you gain from playing soccer will bring you far,” adding, “Since I toured the Old City of Jerusalem, I am a different person, and I have come to Israel, which is a special place, and I am happy to declare here that it is a safe and beautiful place. I am here to strengthen the relationship and friendship between our two countries and to promote peace. I come from sports and that builds character and teaches you how to be flexible and work hard.”
After a reception, Weah met with youth groups from the Jerusalem Sports Associations in Emek Ha’arazim, encouraging the students that they could accomplish a lot with the discipline they learn from sports.
“Your Honor, President Weah, you have made history as one of the best soccer players ever, you make history as president, and today we make history on your first visit to Jerusalem as president, where you are an example to our youth that the sky is the limit,” Lion said.
He continued: “Sports and culture connect different nations and as the important mayor, I will work to make Jerusalem the leading city in Israel in the field of sports, and your visit here today inspires us to work towards this goal.”
He became president in January 2018. His predecessor, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who served as Liberia’s president for 12 years, forged close bilateral ties with Israel, making it, according to Israeli officials, one of the Jewish state’s most supportive countries in Africa.
President Weah’s predecessor Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, forged close bilateral ties with Israel, making Liberia, according to Israeli officials, one of the Jewish state’s most supportive countries in Africa.
This has been reflected in a very strong voting record on Israel in international forums, a pattern that Weah has continued.
For instance, Liberia was one of only six of Africa’s 54 countries – along with Rwanda, South Sudan, Malawi, Lesotho and Cabo Verde – who voted with Israel and the US in support of an anti-Hamas resolution in December. That resolution, though it mustered support from well over a majority of the states, failed to pass because it did not reach the two-thirds threshold needed for adoption.
The Liberian leader met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. The pair met previously in June 2017 when Weah was a senator and Netanyahu traveled to Liberia for a day to take part in a conference bringing together the leaders of 15 western African states.
In addition to meeting Netanyahu, Weah – was also scheduled to meet President Reuven Rivlin.
Additionally, the Liberian president was scheduled to participate in a couple of agricultural and economic exhibitions and events, visit the Mashav Agriculture Training Center in Shefayim, go to Tzrifin for an exhibition of security systems, visit Yad Vashem, tour the Old City and go to Qasr el-Yahud, the Christian baptismal site on the banks of the Jordan River.
According to Israeli media, Weah is viewed in Jerusalem as someone with a strong American orientation interested in Israel’s cooperation in a wide range of fields, from agriculture to anti-terror assistance.
Source: THE JERUSALEM POST
