Belik

Israeli soldier Yonatan Belik is crazy about football—he races back from duty to follow his favorite team on the Internet and gets out each week for a game with friends.

Australia Kicks Off Mideast Diplomacy in a Football Game David Winning 2011

"We mostly just make a lot of noise to make our presence felt," Mr. Belik says.

Australia Kicks Off Mideast Diplomacy in a Football Game David Winning 2011

Jonathan Davis Yonatan Belik recovers with jelly beans.

Australia Kicks Off Mideast Diplomacy in a Football Game David Winning 2011

For Mr. Belik, whose love of AFL stems from the Australian arm of his family, those goals include encouraging tolerance on both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli divide.

Australia Kicks Off Mideast Diplomacy in a Football Game David Winning 2011

To get to training in the Israeli town of Jaffa—near where Mr. Belik lives—they have to negotiate checkpoints staffed by Mr. Belik's army comrades, a process that can take hours.

Australia Kicks Off Mideast Diplomacy in a Football Game David Winning 2011

"We're the scariest team to fight against because we've got Israelis and Palestinians together," says Mr. Belik, who together with his 25 teammates—known collectively as the Peace Team—was in Australia to take on rivals from the U.S., Great Britain and 15 other countries in a tournament that ended August 27.

Australia Kicks Off Mideast Diplomacy in a Football Game David Winning 2011

Colonel Belik was much surprised, however, upon his part to learn of the great nation which lay across the ocean, and when he found that I was a naval officer, he was inclined to accord me even greater consideration than formerly.

The Lost Continent 1916

I had been a prisoner at the little frontier post for over a month, when orders came to Colonel Belik to hasten to the eastern frontier with the major portion of his command, leaving only one troop to garrison the fort.

The Lost Continent 1916

Colonel Belik summoned me about seven o'clock to dress him for a function at the palace.

The Lost Continent 1916

Colonel Belik had accorded me the greatest liberty, permitting me to go where I pleased, after my few duties had been performed.

The Lost Continent 1916