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File pic of the FC Barcelona crest. Nick Potts

Israeli club accuses Barcelona of 'politically motivated' refusal to play match in Jerusalem

The game is subsequently cancelled, according to owner Moshe Hogeg.

THE OWNER OF Israeli football club Beitar Jerusalem has announced the cancellation of a friendly with Barcelona, a fixture purportedly scheduled for 4 August.

“I am forced to cancel the match against Barcelona,” due to Barcelona’s “politically motivated” refusal to play in Jerusalem, Beitar owner Moshe Hogeg said in a post on Facebook.

“I bought Beitar out of love for the holy city and if I back down from playing in Jerusalem because of political motives, I would not be acting in line with my principles,” Hogeg added.

He said Barcelona would only agree to play the game in the coastal city of Tel Aviv. Sources at Barcelona, however, told AFP that the Spanish club consider various options for pre-season friendlies, but that a proposed meeting with Beitar Jerusalem was never confirmed.

The Palestinian Football Federation had condemned holding the fixture in Jerusalem, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Israel claims the whole of Jerusalem as its undivided capital. East Jerusalem was occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day war and was later annexed by the Jewish state, in a move never internationally recognised. It is claimed by the Palestinians as the capital of their own future state.

Beitar Jerusalem had proposed that the fixture take place at the Teddy Stadium, in the western part of the city.

Beitar Jerusalem play in Israel’s top division and some supporters have regularly been heard booing Arab players on opposing teams, while also insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

The club says it has worked to clean up its image in recent years, and in 2017 received an award from President Reuven Rivlin for battling against racism.

© – AFP, 2021

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    Mute conor carroll
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:51 PM

    Great advertisement for the LOI. How ex Shels RTE commentator could say Matty Smith should not have been sent off is beyond me. Shels lost their discipline at the end.

    52
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:01 PM

    What a game. Incredible to watch on telly.

    43
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    Mute Super Saint
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:47 PM

    Brilliant game of football! Up the Saints!

    37
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    Mute michael graham
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:06 PM

    Incredible match , brilliant atmosphere .I wonder why Pats were only given 500 tickets when there was room for another 500

    27
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    Mute Ultán Corcoran
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:51 PM

    May not be riveting football, but I’d rather it that way with lots of goals any day. Some incredible finishes, particularly the two Shels goals. They still have a healthy lead but sometimes pressure affects less-experienced sides more when it matters most. Rovers with the more favourable fixtures too, albeit they need a win next week to truly unsettle Duff’s men for the run in. Those sides fighting relegation like Drogheda can become banana skins too in the latter stages of any league.

    23
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    Mute Bert Carolan
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:28 PM

    Great entertainment. Couple of wonderful finishes, Keenas effort from inside his own half outrageous.
    Mistakes to be sure but guys on 100000 a week make mistakes.
    Thought Shels should have brought on the big lad up front sooner.

    13
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    Mute Ian Cunningham
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:44 PM

    It’s like a bunch of drunks doing a 100 metre race. If you’re invested in a team it may seem exciting, but it’s been a very poor season, particularly for Shams with all the resources at their disposal. Even if they do win in the end, Bradders has been exposed as clueless.

    15
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    Mute Ellis Dewald
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    Sep 30th 2024, 9:59 PM

    @Ian Cunningham: you do talk some drivel Ian!

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    Mute Ian Cunningham
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:39 PM

    @Ellis Dewald: Shels have 54 points out of 96, Shams 49 out of 96. In any other league in the world these stats wouldn’t put a team within an asses roar of the title. Just because anyone can beat anyone on a given day doesn’t make it a great league.

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    Mute Bert Carolan
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:43 PM

    @Ian Cunningham: Bayern Munich ran away with the bundesliga every year until last year, did that make it a great league?

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    Mute Ultán Corcoran
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    Sep 30th 2024, 11:57 PM

    @Bert Carolan: Personally I will say yes ;) although not the ideal regular winner I agree. If we had a bit more nerve, BVB should’ve snapped up two of them titles too.

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    Mute Fergus Desmond
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:24 AM

    @Ian Cunningham:

    Drivel is right

    Great advertisement for the league with ROVERS back in it

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    Mute Brian I
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    Sep 30th 2024, 11:34 PM

    After shels made it two each, they needed composure, and Duff just throne a tantrum on the line and it seeped into the team, it was a great game, it’s amazing how open it still is, if Pats were to win all four games and get to 59, the other teams are showing no consistency to say they will, poor season but has the makings of a great finish.

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    Mute Ruairi Galavan
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:14 AM

    Brilliant stuff. Best LOI game I can remember seeing and delighted the TV cameras were there. Now imagine what our league could be with some investment.

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    Mute Tony McGrath
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    Sep 30th 2024, 10:20 PM

    The bluffer should be made watch fools and horses

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    Mute patsfan1166
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:54 AM

    Sh€ls are falling apart again

    5
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