A coalition of British and international multi-millionaires have pledged financial support to the Israeli Olympic team, hoping success at the 2012 London Games will enhance the country's image.

With just over a year to go until London hosts the Paralympic Games, the British ambassador to Israel has tried his luck against the country's wheelchair basketball team.

Matthew Gould was accompanied by some of the Paralympians who are set to represent Israel in next year's games, which kick off on August 29.

With one year to go before the London 2012 Olympics, British ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould has extended an open invitation to Britain to Israeli athletes, students, sports fans and business people, calling the UK "a natural partner for Israel".

During a speech at the Knesset on Wednesday, Mr Gould said that Israelis would be welcome in the UK, both for the Olympic Games and after.

The leader of the World Jewish Congress has called for Iran to be suspended from international sporting events until the country allows its athletes to race Israelis.

Earlier this week Iranian swimmer Mohammed Alirezaei pulled out of a 100 metre race because an Israeli was also in the heat.

A Jewish journalist has had her work commended by the judges of a prestigious media award.

Emma Barnett, the digital media editor of the Daily Telegraph, was named the "digital editorial individual 2011" at the Association of Online Publishers (AOP) awards ceremony in London last week.

Iran has made an official complaint over the logo for next year’s London Olympic Games, because the design is considered to be a “disgraceful” reminder of the word “Zion”.

Nearly 40 years after a group of Israeli athletes were massacred during the Munich Olympic Games, the identity card of one of the victims has been returned to his family.

A senior Palestine Liberation Organisation officer who was implicated in the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre has died at age 70.

Amin al-Hindi, who was a close associate of Yasser Arafat, was never prosecuted for the attack, in which 11 Israeli athletes and a West German police officer were taken hostage and then murdered.

Mr al-Hindi, who ran the Palestinian General Intelligence Service under Arafat and was also a senior security officer for Fatah in the 1970s, will be buried in the Gaza Strip.

He died of cancer of the liver and pancreas in a Jordanian hospital, following surgery.

As anticipation starts to build for the London Olympics, the world’s greatest showcase of track and field athletics, now seems a good time to review the state of health of UK Jewish athletics.

Last month’s Maccabiah Games provided a telling indicator. It showcased the talents of two bright prospects — Richard Goodman, 16, of Stanmore, who won two golds and a bronze in the junior middle-distance events, and Jennifer Simmons, 18, of Manchester, who won gold in the senior 400m hurdles and bronze in the 400m flat.