United Arab Emirates businessman Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Nahyan has bought a 50% stake in Israeli soccer club Beitar Jerusalem. The team's owner, high-tech entrepreneur Moshe Hogeg, signed the partnership agreement in Dubai today.
After protracted negotiations Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa agreed to invest more than NIS 300 million in the team over the next 10 years.
Beitar said that the money will be invested in the club's infrastructure, youth team, and buying players with potential for development. Sheikh Hamad's son Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan will join the club's board of directors and be the owners representative in all matters relating to the club.
Hogeg said, "On the eve of the festival of Hannukah, Betar's menorah (candlestick) has been relit and is especially exciting. We are marching together, all of us at the club to a new period of coexistence, achievement, and brotherhood for the club, the community, and for Israeli sport."
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Nahyan said, "I am excited to be a partner in this amazing club, which I have heard about and in such a city, the capital of Israel and one of the holiest cities in the world. I have heard so much about the change that the club is undergoing and and the way things are being managed and I am happy to be a part of this. We see before us the phenomenal results of the fruits of peace and brotherhood between the peoples and the plotting in effect of a new path to bring the hearts of the people together through sport. We will stand together as a team that aspires to go the highest and furthest possible with the desire to see Beitar Jerusalem reach the highest stages in soccer. Yallah Beitar."
Over the years many Beitar fans, and especially the ultra La Familia group, have been outspokenly racist and steadfastly refused to let the club ever buy an Arab player. Several Muslim players who have been signed from abroad were goaded by racist chanting and hounded out of the club. Last Friday members of the La Familia group disrupted the club's training, cursed the players and demanded that the deal with the UAE businessman not go ahead.
Hogeg traveled to the UAE with club chairman Eli Ohana.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 7, 2020
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