Israeli soccer team honors alleged spy for Hezbollah
In an interview with Al-Monitor, the spokesperson of Israel's Bnei Sakhnin soccer team explains that it honored former Knesset member Azmi Bishara because he facilitated Qatari financial support.
The Bnei Sakhnin soccer team rose to the Israeli National League in 2003 for the first time in its history, and in its very first season won the State Cup. Bnei Sakhnin games are usually full of tension. Its players, most of whom are Arab Israelis, are frequently subjected to nationalistic and racist slurs from the stands. This harassment peaks in charged and stormy games against the Beitar Jerusalem team.
Despite the weekly barrage of invectives, the team’s management has cultivated a positive public image for Bnei Sakhnin as a bridge between Jews and Arabs, a symbol of coexistence. It was not easy. The current chairman of the team, Mohammed Abu Yunes, has admitted that it is hard to bring Jewish players to Bnei Sakhnin. In fact, there are only two Jewish players on the team for the current 2014-2015 season.
Precisely because of its years of accumulated experience, it is puzzling that the team’s management was surprised Oct. 18 at the public storm over its decision to honor former Knesset member Azmi Bishara. There was a public ceremony just prior to a league game against Hapoel Tel Aviv for Bishara's help in obtaining a $2 million donation from the emir of Qatar.
The Qatari financial assistance to Bnei Sakhnin is nothing new. The team’s stadium, which was built in 2005 and named after the Qatari capital of Doha, was partly funded by Qatar. Last year, the Bnei Sakhnin team faced severe financial difficulties that threatened its future activities. Lacking significant assistance from any Israeli source, institutional or private, the Bnei Sakhnin management was forced to woo Qatar and once again receive a generous donation.
