Israeli soccer team cancels match with Barcelona over Jerusalem issue
A Jerusalem soccer club has cancelled a match with Barcelona after the Spanish teams demanded the game be played in another city aside from the Israeli capital.
Moshe Hogeg, the owner of Beitar Jerusalem, said he “slept with a heavy heart” after reviewing Barcelona’s demands in the contract.
“I purchased Beitar Jerusalem out of love for the holy capital. I fought a war with racism and will continue to fight it, I promote coexistence and in favor of peace. However, a game against Beitar Jerusalem deserves to take place in Jerusalem and if the motive for its not taking place in Jerusalem is political and I will surrender to it, I will not be able to be complete with myself,” Hogeg wrote in a Facebook post explaining his decision. “I cannot betray Jerusalem.”
Beitar’s home field is Teddy Stadium and the match was scheduled to take place on Aug. 4.
Anti-Israel activists had launched a “Boycott Barcelona” hashtag in an attempt to pressure the team to cancel the match against Beitar entirely.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
