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Abu Dhabi investor surprises Israelis, interested in Jerusalem soccer club

Despite — or because of — the racist attitude of Beitar Jerusalem’s fan club, an Abu Dhabi investor is now interested in investing in the soccer team and developing coexistence.
Beitar Jerusalem fans cheer on their team prior to the UEFA Europa League play-off football match between Beitar Jerusalem and AS Saint-Etienne, at the Itztadion Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem on August 17, 2016. 
Saint-Etienne beat Beitar Jerusalem 2-1. / AFP / AHMAD GHARABLI        (Photo credit should read AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Anyone looking for hard evidence that the normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is real, and not some cold, technical deal, like Israel has with Egypt and Jordan, need look no further than — soccer.

On Aug. 13, US President Donald Trump made his dramatic announcement that he had brokered an agreement between Israel and the UAE. Less than a month later, i24News reported that an investor from the Abu Dhabi Development and Investment group, a concern with close ties to the Emirati royal family, approached Beitar Jerusalem owner Moshe Hogeg with an offer to partner with him in ownership of the controversial club. The Emirati investor also owns a stake in the British Manchester City FC.

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