(In the video: Moshe’s article celebrates AP)
Simultaneously with the professional crash and just before the rights transfer committee convenes, Betar Jerusalem owner Moshe Hogg was interviewed by “AP” and talked about the sale deal, the expected upgrade in the transfer window and how not: an Arab player in Betar.
“We are trying to sign an Arab player who plays in Europe, but it is not clear if his team will release him. We are looking for players who can upgrade our team, religion is not a factor in any way.”
“The racist image the club had was one of the key elements that led me to acquire it,” Hogg said in an interview. “I saw that the problem reflects not only the club, but also Israel. I love football and I thought this was the opportunity to buy the club and address this problem. I could do something bigger than football.”
“I was looking for a partner who would have the same vision as mine,” Hogg continued, talking about Hamed bin Khalifa. “Show children around the world and everyone that Muslims and Jews can work together and build beautiful things. I think football is the best platform for it. The audience? Either you are connected to a club or you are connected to something else. If you are busy with hatred and racism, your place is not with us.”
Abigail Sharabi, Betar’s well-known fan, was also interviewed for the article: “It’s all money. He got a sea of money to sell us, to sell our identity. Everything is sold: our name, our principles, our life, our heart. Do you know what Betar is for a fan? Whoever is a real fan knows exactly what his team is for. ”
“From the age of 7 I started to fall in love with the team, I am Otto 55. I always said that until the day I died I was with this team, I even said that my tombstone would be yellow-black. Today I do not know if my tombstone will be yellow-black. Why do they not want to come? It is not appropriate for them to wear the Betar lamp, to sing Teddy the anthem of hope. Do you think an Arab-Muslim actor will put the Betar emblem? “
“Why didn’t they buy Bnei Sakhnin? Why not Hapoel Tel Aviv? Why not Hapoel Jerusalem? Why Betar Jerusalem? Whoever says that there is racism is a racist himself. It’s all for politics. I do not believe in this whole agreement. For me I want to think it was not. What will happen here is chaos. Days will tell, I wish I was wrong. I say. Let there be a ‘Harboder’ here. “