A top Israeli football club with a reputation for anti-Arab racism within its fan base has been part-bought by an Emirati sheikh.

(Sky news)

Beitar Jerusalem is now 49% owned by Sheikh Hamid bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family who has committed to invest over 300 million shekels (£69m) in the club over the next 10 years.

In the announcement, on the club's website, the Sheikh said: "I am thrilled to be a partner in such a glorious club that I have heard so much of and in such a great city, the capital of Israel and one of the holiest cities in the world."

The irony of the sale is remarkable: Beitar, the only major football club in Israel never to have had an Arab player, now has an Arab owner.

The team's far-right fan club, La Familia, is not representative of the club's broader fan base these days, but Beitar has still become synonymous with racism.

Some of the chants are anti-Arab, promote revisionist Zionist ideology and the club's hooligans are known to rove the mall next to Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium looking for trouble with Palestinians.

Ori Cooper, chief sports writer for the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, told Sky News that is part of the attraction.

(Lupni.com/Sky News)