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Written by Hamada Hattab, Osama Radi
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Friday, 17 June 2011 04:54 |
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Happiness appeared on the face of the 20-year old Gaza young man Osama Othmani as he switched on the engine of a racing car he made with his colleague with humble materials and recycled parts,
where he dreams to join the world's Formula racing in United Kingdom on July.
Othmani and his colleagues are students at a mechanic institute run by the United Nations in Gaza. They cheered up amid heavy applause as the engine of his new car started. It is the first time in Gaza Strip, which has been under a tight Israeli blockade for four years, that such a racing car has been made with recycled spare parts.
As he drove the car hundreds of meters, Othmani thought about being with his car at Silverstone's cars yard to join the Formula cars' racing due to be held in U.K. on July.
"This racing car was made by students studying mechanic at UNRWA mechanic institute and it was financed by local organizations," Othmani told Xinhua, adding as he was receiving congratulations and hugs from his friends, "it took me eight months to build up the car."
"We want to reach the international community and raise the reputation of Palestinians higher," he said with complete confidence.
After testing, painting and completely fixing the car, Othmani and his colleagues are preparing to ship the car from Gaza to Britain to represent Palestinians during July's Formula race at Silverstone circuit which is to be held between 14 and 17 of July. As an event to attract international companies to sponsor young hobbies, it also encouraged the students to make the car.
Over the past four years of the Israeli blockade imposed on the coastal enclave, Israel prevented automobile spare parts imported to the Gaza Strip. Car dealers and mechanics have to use recycled or second hand spare parts to repair cars.
"For security reasons," the Israeli authorities also did not allow the team to import spare parts they need from abroad, according to the students. So the alternative has to be materials from old or damaged cars and secondhand spare parts such as an engine of a secondhand Honda car for making their new racing one.
"We worked day and night until we managed to make a racing car. We are so proud of ourselves," said Othmani, stressing that the car is with international standard to join international rallies.
The project of building up the car cost some 30,000 U.S. dollars, and the commercials of local organizations were painted on the car. Ghassan Abu Orf, the dean of the Mechanic institute of UNRWA regard building up the racing car is "a historic event, and it would keep a margin for our students to get more education about cars' industry in the world."
The students said they finished the first step to build up the car. However, the coming stage is more difficult, which is shipping the car from Gaza to Britain through Rafah crossing on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, and then to fly from Egypt to Britain.
Joining the competition would be an opportunity for Gaza engineers to get international jobs, however, they are concerned that the hurdles on their way to London would deprive their hope for better future.
"Joining the Formula Competition is a big challenge for our students. There is no doubt that our students were inspired to make such a great achievement," said Colin Brown, a UNRWA chief of mechanic engineering website. "this is the spirit of creation for those who will join the competition."
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