COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, WORLD NEWS: A long history of conflict between bitter enemies was put on hold, if only temporarily. Israelis and Palestinians joined forces on another field of battle - a football pitch. CNN's Mimi Mees reports.</s>MIMI MEES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Putting aside their differences, the Israelis and Palestinians have come together for a fund-raising football game in Rome's Olympic stadium. Their challengers - a celebrity team of Italian singers helped by several of football's biggest stars. Proceeds from the event will be used to buy computers and other educational materials for Israeli and Palestinian schools. Among the 80,000 fans watching the match, Italy's president, the president of the Palestinian Authority - Yasser Arafat - and former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres. As Brazilian soccer legend Pele kicked off the game, the three officials raised their hands in a show of solidarity. The star-studded charity competition also attracted British actor Sean Connery. The former James Bond joined Pele in hosting the fund-raising telethon. On the field, Israeli and Palestinian captains shared the responsibility of leading the team. The joint team was coached by an Israeli captain in the first half and a Palestinian in the second. Pope John Paul II praised the cooperative spirit of the competition, saying, "May this `match of the heart' encourage you, dear friends of different nations and diverse cultures, to get to know each other better. In this friendly match, solidarity and peace are above all the winners." The Israeli-Palestinian team came out on top, six goals to five. But the children are the real winners. Officials say the game raised more than $327,000. Mimi Mees, CNN.
Israelis, Palestinians Join Forces For Charity Soccer Match