Tel Aviv (AFP)

Lionel Messi and his Argentinian side drew 2-2 against Uruguay on Monday night in Tel Aviv, in a rare match of this caliber played in Israel, which can claim victory more than a year after the cancellation of the visit of the Argentines.

Shalom, peace, paz, salam! The center of the lawn at the new Bloomfield stadium in Tel-Aviv was a call for peace desired by many in the Middle East for this friendly match while "Blue-white" colors of the flags of Israel, Argentina and Uruguay.

In the 22nd minute of this duel led by Lionel Messi, the favorite of the crowd, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces, since Washington, a profound change in the policy of the United States, which now consider that settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are no longer contrary to international law.

But this announcement, which has sizzled some smartphones in the 28,000-seater stadium near the sweet beaches of Jaffa, did not turn away from the match a conquered crowd, unaccustomed to contemplate by sight the biggest names in football.

Especially since the match was almost canceled, Israel leading last week a military operation in the Gaza Strip against the Islamic Jihad, which had responded with a concert of 450 rockets fired at the Jewish state where the sirens alert had sounded near the stadium.

In the 31st minute, Cavani concluded a game of triangular pass and stealth in the penalty area to open the score for Uruguay under the cheers of a crowd, certainly acquired Messi and his band, but not zealot.

A few minutes later, the Palestinian Authority denounces Washington's new position on settlements. At the same time, Dybala scores for Argentina but the goal is canceled. Cause: The ball hit his hand before firing.

- Israel "normal" -

At intermission, the crowd has fun. Again. "By bringing perhaps the most famous in the world, Lionel Messi, to Israel, we offer excitement to the whole country, to the Muslim, Christian and Jewish citizens of Israel," said the sponsor of this unpublished match, the Canada-Israel billionaire Sylvan Adams, born in Quebec.

"This is the normal Israel + that I know and love, not a country of conflict but a country where children from all walks of life play football together on the streets and in leagues." Sport can really build bridges , to unite people, "he added in a statement sent to AFP.

In the 64th minute, the match becomes again tonic. The star of Barça places a corner immediately redirected of the head by the other star of the selection Sergio Agüero. Four minutes later, it was the turn of Luis Suarez, teammate of Messi in Barcelona but opponent on the green of Tel Aviv, to score. Uruguay takes the lead and seems to be heading for victory ...

The holding of an Israel-Argentina match preparing for the World Cup-2018 Jerusalem, a holy city whose status is one of the most difficult problems of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, provoked the anger of the Palestinians, prompted fierce criticism of the Albiceleste selection on social networks and ultimately led to its cancellation, which was perceived as a setback by the Jewish state.

This time, the Palestinian Football Federation did not protest against the match in Tel Aviv, the economic capital of Israel. The BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement, calling for a boycott of the Jewish state to protest the occupation and colonization of the Palestinian territories, condemned the meeting.

What did not stop Lionel from converting in the 90th minute, a penalty under the cheers of a crowd who chanted in the end the name of the one by whom everything started here: Messi!

© 2019 AFP