Israeli and Emirates Football Federations sign cooperation agreement

Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid al-Nuaimi, president of the United Arab Emirates Football Federation, has signed a cooperation agreement with his Israeli counterpart, Oren Hasson, with a view to benefiting from mutual experiences and improving cooperation between federations.

The agreement includes several elements such as the holding of friendly matches between national teams and clubs, the creation of joint workshops for technical and administrative members, as well as the launching of development initiatives to help promote football in both countries.

The President of the Emirate Federation expressed his pleasure at the signing of the agreement, considering it an important step in strengthening relations with Israel. "I am optimistic about the success of this agreement because it improves the development of football in both countries," he said. He was grateful to FIFA for its support and role in the agreement and wanted to highlight football as a language of peace, tolerance and love. Values that UAE wants to show to the world, said Rashid bin Humaid.

For his part, Oren Hasson said that for him being in the United Arab Emirates was a dream, and that thanks to this agreement it has become a reality. "We are happy with this step. I invite everyone to visit Tel Aviv to build strong relationships and let future generations know that football brings people together and is a language of peace".

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, also present at the ceremony, described the signing of the agreement as historic, saying he was proud to witness this important event.

A documentary film entitled 'The Emirates, the land of love and peace' was shown at the celebration, highlighting the aspirations of the agreement. It also included the drawing of a picture representing the cooperation between the two countries. Commemorative coats of arms and national team jerseys were exchanged.

Infantino, who was on a two-day official visit to the country, also met with the president of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohamed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. The parties committed themselves to strengthening their relations, reinforcing their efforts to develop international football and continuing to promote values of tolerance, coexistence and peace between people.

Mansoor bin Mohamed took the opportunity to invite Infantino to the International Sports Conference in Dubai on 27 December, which has become a platform for discussion between different football players. The main theme of the conference will be the role of this sport in promoting universal human values to bring people together, and the role of FIFA in developing it at a global level.

The ceremony took place just three months after the announcement of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Gulf country. The agreement signed in Washington on 14 September provided for cooperation in various fields, including sport. The so-called 'Abraham Agreements' also included Bahrain and, according to Donald Trump, put an end to "decades of division and conflict" and marked "the dawn of a new Middle East".

The event comes shortly after other agreements in the field of sport such as the acquisition of 50 percent of the shares of the Israeli club Beitar by an Emirati businessman, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Nahyan. "I am very excited to be part of such a prestigious club that I have talked about in the past and about the city, the capital of Israel and one of the holiest cities in the world," said the Sheikh, considering the purchase of shares as a "phenomenal agreement resulting from the fruits of peace between peoples".

"This is a historic and exciting day for Beitar Jerusalem," responded Moshe Hogeg, the Beitar's manager, who had to face criticism and protests from an extremist supporters group, La Familia, who not only oppose the participation of an Arab in the club's capital, but also show their rejection of any Arab being part of the team. They even recently interrupted the team's training.

The club has traditionally been associated with the Israeli nationalist right. However, since Hogeg became president, racist attitudes have been curbed both on and off the pitch.