Israel’s Gift to Arab Neighbors: Free Broadcast of FIFA World Cup1
Israel has purchased the rights to broadcast one of the most popular international sporting events, the FIFA World Cup, to large swaths of the Arab world.
By: World Israel News
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority (Kan) for the first time bought the rights to broadcast in Arabic the FIFA World Cup, reportedly paying close to US$7.8 billion for the privilege.
On its official Arabic Facebook page, “Israel Speaks Arabic,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced the move, noting that the broadcast would be available for free for residents of neighboring Arab countries. Prior to 2018, a Qatari-owned network, beIN, maintained a monopoly on Arabic broadcasts of events such as the World Cup.
Israel’s World Cup broadcasts will reach Arab-speaking football fans in Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan. With teams competing from countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, Israel’s broadcasts could draw massive audiences.
When Qatar’s beIN broadcast the World Cup, it charged each family viewing the event about $45. While Israel’s broadcast will be free, some individuals in the Arab world promoted conspiracies regarding Israel’s decision to air the event.
Others took to social media to express excitement about viewing the event gratis.
Israel did not qualify for the World Cup in 2018, with its only appearance in the international competition occurring in 1970 when the event took place in Mexico. Soccer, or football as it is known in most parts of the world, has been rocked with anti-Semitism scandals recently, with fans denigrating the memory of Holocaust survivors such as Anne Frank and sanctioning bodies accused of promoting anti-Israel agendas.
Ed. Hopefully Israelis -- Jews, Muslims, and others -- will be able to watch the matches on Israeli tv, in Hebrew and in Arabic.
AND THEN, on the same web page . . .
Send Passover Food Packages to Israeli Soldiers
We are honored to thank the young men and women of the IDF who risk their lives to protect the citizens of Israel. Join us in sending Passover food packages (and personal notes) to Israeli soldiers and their families.
Bring Passover joy and blessing to the heroes of Israel who defend our freedom every day! Many soldiers spend the Passover holiday with needy families back home. The soldiers greatly appreciate your love and concern.
Sources
1. http://tinyurl.com/yazamthd
2. https://unitedwithisrael.net/passover/?c=asc
PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.
YOHANON Comments on Expensive gift
