Palestine receives 'biggest cheer of night' at Paralympics opening ceremony
Palestinian flag-bearer gets emotional during emotional moment
Cheering overshadows criticism about Israel's human rights record
The Palestinian team received the "biggest cheer of the night" at the Paralympics opening ceremony in Tokyo, according to a TV presenter. Channel 4's Clare Balding said the team's flag-bearer, Mohammad Edwan, became emotional during the moving moment.
The ceremony took place on Tuesday evening in the Japanese capital, with the athletes from 162 countries entering the stadium in alphabetical order. According to reports, the Palestinian team received a rapturous reception from the crowd.
The cheers for the Palestinian team overshadowed criticism about Israel's human rights record. Human rights groups have accused Israel of violating the rights of Palestinians, and some people had called for the country to be banned from the Paralympics.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has said that it is committed to the principles of inclusion and non-discrimination. The IPC has also said that it believes that sport can be a force for good in the world, and that it can help to break down barriers between people.
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