Moses Hogg, the owner of Beta Jerusalem, said he was forced to cancel the match scheduled for August 4th because he refused to play outside Jerusalem.

The owner of Israel’s Beta Jerusalem Football Club said on Thursday that he had cancelled a friendly match with the international strong team Barcelona because Barcelona refused to play in the disputed Jerusalem.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem in the 1967 war, annexed it in an internationally unrecognized move, and regarded the entire city as its capital.

The Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of their future nation, and the status of this city is one of the most difficult issues in the decades-long conflict.

Beta Jerusalem boss Moshe Hogeg said he was forced to cancel the match scheduled for August 4th because he refused to succumb to what he called “possibly political pressure” and demanded to be outside Jerusalem. game.

“We cannot boycott Jerusalem,” he said. “If you want to play against the Beta in Jerusalem, you need to play in Jerusalem,” he added.

In a Facebook post, Hogg, a self-proclaimed “proud Jew and Israeli” and a Barcelona fan, stated that he could not allow himself to “betray” the city.

“I am not angry with Barcelona. They are not a political club and they are not interested in participating in our conflict here. Our relationship will continue to be in good condition,” he wrote, adding that he made it after consulting with Jerusalem. decided. Mayor Moses Lion.

According to a report in Haaretz, Lane said he “unreservedly” supported Hoggag and condemned efforts to boycott activities in the city.

Barcelona did not immediately comment.

Hogg bought the team in 2018, and he promised to fight racism and put the club’s anti-Palestinian fans aside.

Palestine protest

Earlier this month, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) send A letter of protest against Barcelona’s planned match in Jerusalem.

In a letter to the world governing body FIFA, PFA President Gibril Rahob said that the United Nations resolution declared Jerusalem to be a divided city, and Barcelona’s opponent, Jerusalem Beta, is a racist club.

“Although we have no right to tell any club how to organize a friendly match, we have the right to oppose the choice of Jerusalem as the venue for the proposed match,” Rahob said in the letter. European and Asian governing bodies for football, UEFA and AFC.

“According to international law, Jerusalem is a divided city, and its eastern part is considered occupied Palestinian land, which gives the Palestinian Football Association jurisdiction over any football activities that take place in this area,” he continued.

The game is planned to take place in the Malha district, which is the seat of a Palestinian village that was ethnically cleansed by the Zionist paramilitary organization on the eve of the founding of Israel in 1948.

The Palestinian Football Club also wrote to Barcelona, ??urging it not to play in Jerusalem.

Racist fans

The club is the favorite of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is notorious for the racism of its fans and their “Death of Arabs” slogan.

Jerusalem Beta is also the only major Israeli football club that has never signed a Palestinian or Arab player on its roster-a fact that the club’s extremist La Familia is proud of.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, acquired a 50% stake in Beita. In doubt, the shares were frozen.

The team has previously stated that Sheikh Hamad has pledged to invest 300 million shekels ($92 million) in the club in the next 10 years.