Lebanese 8-year-old chess player Loren Abdel Samad withdrew from two scheduled matches against 'Israeli' opponents during the World Youth Chess Championship for the under-eight age category, held in Batumi, Georgia, from June 14-27, 2026 – according to a report on Lebanese media The withdrawals resulted in automatic losses and cost her points that could have influenced her final standing in the tournament, the reports said. Family cites personal stance According to her family speaking to Lebanese media, Abdel Samad chose not to face the 'Israeli' players despite knowing the decision would affect her tournament score. Her father, Bassam Abdel Samad, told local media that his daughter "withdrew from the games against two Israeli players intentionally." He added that she closely follows the news and has seen "the destruction of homes and the targeting of children." "Even if Lebanese law allowed her to play against the Israeli players, she would not have done so," he said, adding that she holds a firm personal position despite her young age. Rising young talent Before competing at the World Youth Chess Championship, Abdel Samad had already built an impressive record in Lebanon. She won first place in the Lebanese American University (LAU) Chess Championship and claimed the Lebanese Chess Federation title in her age category. After returning to Beirut, the young player is preparing to compete in the 2026 Lebanese Chess Championship.
Yet conflict is nearly impossible between them. They are too economically en culturally intertwined.
Same with Japan and the US, Poland and Germany.
As uncomfortable as it seems for the propaganda and religion riddled middle east, the only solution for peace with Israel is for the region to be politically and culturally integrated.
But both sides have been taking turns with small and large genocides over the last 1500 years. Currently the Israelis are taking their turn with a particularly brutal genocide.
The religious, political and economic elite in the region have been using racism, Zionism and Islam to keep the people weak and focused on the “other”, so they don’t look too hard at how they are being exploited.
The only way out is economic, political and cultural integration. The two state solution will always result in more conflict and its orchestrated that way by the regional powers.
The solution I suggest is one state, lottery based democracy, secular and socialist. It will be difficult for a generation, but its the only proven model for ending forever wars, and infinitly better than what they currently have.
That is why I think boycotting cultural events is counter productive. It just serves the elites to keep people divided.
And we’re back to the fact that they’re client states who aren’t allowed have real conflict
Japan is a US client state obviously not going to bite its masters hand.
Again both us client states.
Or the genocidal settler colonial ethno state that’s been destabilising the region for generations could go the way of Rhodesia and Apartheid South Africa.
Yes I’m sure you’d also talk down to a Jewish child refusing to partake in a chess match in Nazi Germany in the 30s/40s for dividing the working class.