UAE royal buys 50 percent stake in Israel’s most racist football club

Occupied Palestine (QNN)- A member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family has purchased a 50 percent stake in Israeli Premier League football team Beitar Jerusalem, whose fans are considered to be Israel’s most racist.

The deal was sealed for a 300m shekel (almost $92m) investment over a 10-year period, and was brokered by Naum Koen, a Ukrainian-born Israeli businessman based in the United Arab Emirates, and Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.

The purchase comes amid a flurry of business deals between the occupation state and the United Arab Emirates following their move to normalize relations in September.

Beitar Jerusalem is a bastion of Israel’s political right-wing and a group of supporters known as “La Familia” has been openly abusive towards Arabs and Palestinians.

Beitar’s announcement on Monday quoted Sheikh Hamad as saying: “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.”

The reference to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital violates UN decisions, which stress that Jerusalem is under Israeli occupation.

Beitar fans expressed their anger and objection to the deal with the Emiratis last week.

The club’s fans sprayed offensive and racist graffiti on the outer wall of Beitar Jerusalem’s stadium, saying: “Mohammed is Dead”, “Death to Arabs”, “Fuck Dubai”, and “You can’t buy us!!! $ Don’t fuck with us!”

However, a banner was set up outside Beitar Jerusalem’s stadium praising Hamad bin Khalifa and welcoming him to Jerusalem.

Beitar Jerusalem fans sprayed offensive and racist graffiti on the outer wall of the stadium (Social media)

Related Articles

Back to top button