December 8 – One of the most unusual and surprising footballing acquisitions of recent years has taken place in Israel with a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family purchasing a 50% stake in Beitar Jerusalem, the only club in the country’s top flight never to have fielded an Arab player.
Beitar’s fans have traditionally aligned themselves with extreme right-wing politics, with a group of them known as ‘La Familia’ and openly abusive towards Israel’s Arab minority.
But Hamad bin Khalifa al-Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, has promised to invest 300 million shekels (£70 million) in the club over the next ten years even though Moshe Hogeg will remain a controlling shareholder.
Sheikh Hamad is the son of the United Arab Emirates’ President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the move comes hot on the heels of the Israel-United Arab Emirates normalisation agreement, which has seen the two countries establish diplomatic ties.
Beitar have been mired for decades in controversy because of their fans, some of whom are reported to have staged strong opposition to the latest move which will nevertheless see the injection of much-needed funds.
Last week, some supporters disrupted a training session by opposing the negotiations which will feature a new board of directors to include the sheikh’s son, Mohamed bin Hamad bin Khalifa, who will be his representative in everything related to Beitar.
Hogeg, a bitcoin millionaire who took over the club in 2018 and has sought to change the image Beitar, said in a statement: “Together, we all march the club to new days of coexistence, achievements and brotherhood for the sake of our club, community and Israeli sports.”
In his own statement, Al Nahyan commented: “I am thrilled to be a partner in such a glorious club that I have heard so much of and in such a great city, the capital of Israel and one of the holiest cities in the world.
“I have heard a lot about the change taking place in the club and the way things are going, and I am happy to take part in that. We will put together a team that will strive for the highest and greatest accomplishments possible.”
Israel Football Association chairman Oren Hasson said he hoped the deal would lead to a further rapprochement with the Arab world.
“This deal shows that football can be a wonderful bridge between people and promote coexistence. This is great news for Beitar and its fans that will guarantee a promising future for the club in the upcoming years,” he said.
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