The war is just beginning.
The extreme fan organization of Betar Jerusalem, "La Familia" crossed all boundaries during the game against Hapoel Tel Aviv yesterday, and now the fight is escalating. Club chairman Eli Ohana published a special column today (Wednesday) on the official Betar website Jerusalem, where he poured out his great anger on the organization, and this is the full content of the column:
"I have been part of Betar Jerusalem since the age of 12, I am identified with her and she has been with me throughout my career, in every position I have held.
Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I was ashamed to be a part of the club.
Betar Jerusalem is a glorious club with history and tradition, with hundreds of thousands of fans, the vast majority of whom are good and supportive, but all of whom are trapped in a negative image and the ongoing damage caused by a criminal group of fans to the club.
It started from the fact that fans are not allowed to applaud or encourage a player just because he is of Muslim descent and in addition silences the stands every moment he is on the field, racism at the lowest and lowest level.
There was a stage where we thought this issue was already behind us in Betar Jerusalem but this group of fans raises its head every time again, whether it is due to one protest or another or opposition to a quality football player who is so eager to come to Jerusalem and be part of the team. .
The issue of racism is disgusting, infuriating and irritating, but this gang of "La Familia" managed to produce greater records of shame, disgust and delinquency when in the stands at Bloomfield they beat fans, hit them on the floor, wounded a fighter, hit a disabled girl and took her crutches, all because They were part of the bloc that opposed the boycott of encouragement on Kamso Mara and the group.
It's inconceivable.
Innocent people whose whole sin is the love for Betar and the desire to applaud the team player should go through such a lynching? I still can not digest it.
We at the club condemn all violence, even when it happens between fans from different groups, but I have never encountered Betar Jerusalem haters beating Betar fans in this way. To me, they are not Betar fans. From the day I was part of Betar, I never dreamed that we would reach such a situation that fans from the stands would abuse the team's fans. As I mentioned, these are not fans, these are Betar enemies, these are Betar haters, those who love a group and a place do not do such damage, they must not be called hooligans, they are much more than hooligans, hooligans are a compliment for them.
It is true that it did not start today, it has been running for quite a few years, and Moshe is celebrating justice in his way and his war.
All the owners have been through the same situation here and in the end they choose to leave because of this bunch.
What kind of thing is this, to come and claim that you are a Betar fan and hit people, to come in a group of 15-20 on one person, to kick and step on the head of a person who is on the floor? A disabled woman, an IDF fighter, where did we get to?
It's time to say - we do not want you, we do not need you, can not tolerate you, leave us alone.
We will be very happy if you do not come to the stands anymore, do not need the encouragement, the color and everything you think is your exclusive property, believe me we will manage.
And let me not tell stories how many good things this organization does, all the good things are dwarfed in relation to such phenomena on the field.
By the way, you can swear, you can slander, and that's probably what you do, but you do not bother me, for me "La Familia" has become synonymous with racism, violence, delinquency and evil, something that drives any normative person away from being part of Betar. I must say , I did not always express myself decisively enough in this matter, but water came to mind.
I tried to do things, yes I talked to people within the organization and I was one of those who tried to reconcile.
There was a desire to try and put in some logic and thought, but unfortunately all these things did not help and I had no choice but to go out in public and put an end to it.
I also do not accept the excuses of those who say they were not part of it - whoever raises these criminals, leads and goes hand in hand with them, cannot remove responsibility just because they were not physically part of the incident.
No post of apology or explanation will help, everyone who belongs to the organization has a part in these events.
Betar Jerusalem has taken a lot of steps on the subject over the years and especially in recent years, with security guards at home and away games, cameras, lawsuits, we acted in every possible corner. We learned the lesson.
I spoke yesterday with Moshe Hogg, the owner of Betar Jerusalem, and I support every word he said in the last day. It is impossible to come to him with complaints about the things we have done in recent years. We tried. It is important to say, Betar Help so that we can eradicate this terrible phenomenon.
And on this occasion I also call on our good fans.
Right now, right at this time, let's be with us and help us and the group we all love so much.
Betar is yours and we will do everything to make you feel good in the stands. Reach the pitches, unleash emotions but enjoy and feel part of the experience that so characterized this club. Feel safe, come with the families, we will do everything to keep you and put an end to those who took over the stands In recent years.
Betar is a splendor, it has a past, a present and we will make sure that there is a future as well. Betar is no longer a club, it is a brand in the Israeli experience.
"Our fans are spread all over the country, and every time I come across them I see how much they feel they have been privileged to be Betar Jerusalem fans. This is who we are, this is the overwhelming majority, and that cannot be changed.
We will fight for the home."