The Wall_Spring 2023_Issue 9

Armen Kebabdjian (he/him), discusses a football team in Israel and how the influences of fans in sport can have detrimental effects on teams and the reputation of the sport as a whole. signings were a promise for new

when Israel formed as an Independent nation in May 1948, prior to that it was a part of the British Empire. Israel, a country populated mainly by Jewish people is newly formed nation, surrounded by Arab countries that constantly dispute whose land is whose. That disputed land happens to be in Israel and Palestine. Many Jewish people claim that Palestine is their ancestral homeland. However, for the past century it has mainly been populated by Palestinian Muslims. Both parties dispute whether it is Muslim land or Jewish land.The main complication occurs as the Bible,Torah and the Quran state that there was Jewish and Muslim presence in that land thousands of years ago. All of this historic confusion has led to several wars and conflicts such as the recent clash with Palestine’s HAMAS and the Israeli military who recently gained a lot of media attention.All of these ongoing political dilemmas have affected football in Jerusalem’s Beitar where some people believe “the game of football here is far more than just a game”. It is a political tifo saying ‘No Arabs allowed here’.” Football is meant to unite fans around the world; however, that is not the case here in Jerusalem. It is a city torn between two religions. In addition, it is important to awknowledge that there are extremists in every situation who can often paint a negative image for the wider population around them. Many Israelis wholeheartedly disgaree with the treatment of Muslims by the football club and many have spoken out, publically, against this. Beitar Jerusalem is a clear example of the fact that politics can get twisted into sports. Racism and discrimination based on religion has no place in the beauti ful game, our beautiful game, which is football that is untouched by the awful prejudices that exist in our dangerous world.

Has the thought ever crossed your mind, that a football club could be so politically influenced and have so much hatred towards a specific group or religon? Often in sports, it is the fans who we pay most attention to and their behaviour towards players. However, in some cases the club itself and its own institution has been overlooked which is why it is crucial to investigate and discuss. Meet Israel’s most popular team: Beitar Jerusalem.They are known for being radically right-wing and profoundly anti-Islamic not just in Israel but internationally as well. Unfortuantely, the reason why this club is so notorious is because they have never signed an Arab player in the entire history of the club, nor any players who idenfited as Muslim, until publically shared disgust reagrding the club’s obvious bias.They protested to the club owner Moshe Hogeg who then decided it was time to break away from the club’s discrimatory history and mind set towards players of other relgions.The Club was founded in 1936 and yet had never signed a player who wasn’t Jewish or a Christian, until Hogeg signed two Russian Chechen Muslim players in J anuary of 2013. Zaur Sadayev and Dzhabrail Kadiyev made their debut for the club on the 30th of January. Zaur Sadayev scored his first and last goal for the team in that game, as he only made a mere seven appearances for the club. This was due to the bitter welcome he recieved from the club’s “Ultras” (hardcore supporters of a team). Sadayev’s goal that night sparked a mixture of emotions and some fans celebrated, delighted that he scored a vital opening goal in the game against Maccabi Netanya. However, not all the fans were pleased with the new signings. These hundreds of fans reacted with anger and outrage and protested the board’s decision by eventually abandoning the game.Though their 2013 when, finally, some change was spearheaded by fans who

beginnings and horizons in the club, the players faced unacceptable abuse, severe Islamophobia, death threats and attempted attacks from fans during an open day of training at their grounds a few days later.The worst part of this is that all of this violence occured just because the players practised a different religion. The two Russian players had to pray alone in their team’s coach, when the other players had left, as there was no other safe location for them to worship. No one should ever have to face such prejudice and fear just because of their religious identity. After all, football is a game not a political mouthpiece.This racism has been continued by some of the fans, the board and even their players.The hardcore supporters of Beitar called ‘La Famillia’ continuously chant, ‘Death to Arabs’ and present Arabophobic banners at games. Over the recent years, the club has undergone takeovers and partnerships such as with the ruling family of Abu Dhabi who now own half of the club’s stake. Predictably, the club faced a lot of backlash from their supporters and Ultras,“The deal has turned many fans against the club,” said Moar Ifrach, a loyal supporter.A week before the first training session, since the club’s purchase was announced, La Famillia’s fanbase made their opinion known.They sprayed the phrase,“ F*** bin Khalifa” on the walls of the stadium. In addition, an anonymous activist of La Famillia said that “the sale threatened the Jewishness of not only the club but the entire city of Jerusalem, a city divided between Jews and Arabs but controlled by the Israeli government.” This apparent conflict between Jews and Muslims begs the question: why is there so much hatred between Jewish people and Muslims in Israel?

There is a very complicated history behind this, which initially started

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