Qatar Backs Stadium for Arab-Israeli Team - San Francisco Chronicle

[Coastie for Truth]

Qatar is donating $6 million to help build a soccer stadium for a mixed Arab-Jewish team, the first such funding by an Arab state for any town inside Israel.

The pledge comes amid efforts to improve ties between the Arab world and Israel after last month's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, a wedge of coastal land occupied by the Jewish state for 38 years and wanted by Palestinians to form part of an independent state.

Qatari Emir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani authorized the funding after Israeli-Arab lawmaker Ahmed Tibi met senior Qatari officials and members of this energy-rich Gulf state's Olympic committee. Gulf states have previously donated generously to Palestinian areas, but neglected Arab towns within Israel.

The funding will be used to build a 13,000-seat stadium in the northern Israeli-Arab town of Sakhnin for the Bnei Sakhnin soccer team, whose coach and some players are Jewish. The total project cost is between $12 million and $13 million, of which Israel has given $3.3 million.


.....edit for brevity....