A Message to Palestinian Youth from Thabet Al Taher

We managed to catch up with our brother Thabet Al Taher this week.

Thabet, originally Palestinian was born and raised in Jordan is a Brazilian Jiujitsu Black Belt residing between USA and Dubai, and this is what he had to say about his BJJ Journey;

"When I was a little boy I used to draw pictures in my head all the time about where I would end up and what I would be doing with my life, but I never thought when I went to my first Jiu Jitsu class in September of 2003 that some 12 years later, I’d be a black belt competing at the highest level nationally, and internationally…

Aside from all the physical and health benefits that come with being a martial artist, over the years Jiu Jitsu has given me tons of confidence on and off the mats, it has changed the way I carry myself and interact with people, I’ve grown from the shy introverted kid that I was, to a very outspoken extroverted version of myself that I did not know existed!

In the words of the great Rickson Gracie: “I’m always in control of my possibilities and knowledge of my possibilities, emotionally, technically, and spiritually. That’s what Jiu Jitsu gave me.”

This is exactly how I feel, always.

My message for the Palestinian youth is that I can't even pretend to know what it's like to be in your shoes, or tell you I know what's gonna turn your life around. I am honored and proud to call myself Palestinian because of how strong you stand against the oppression and injustice to our land.

But I can tell you this, you will never regret training MMA. Nevermind the physical benefits behind it, being a martial artist has truly played a huge role in shaping my character, and I am a stronger, more confident, and disciplined individual because of that. Don't underestimate the effect that this can have on your life, it has the potential for great things..