Israeli football often reflects the complexities of the society around it, and few stories illustrate that more vividly than one family whose young players now represent two different national teams.
While Crystal Palace winger Anan Khalaili, one of Israel’s leading players abroad, is with the senior national team ahead of its Nations League match against Kosovo, and his younger brother Iyad has featured for Israel’s Under-21 side, their cousin Yunan Badarne is currently representing Palestine at the West Asian U17 Championship in Aqaba, Jordan.
Anan Khalaili
(Photo: REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo)
‘It’s the positive conflict,’ said Yunan’s father, Mursi Badarne, who emigrated from Israel to Manchester about 15 years ago.
Mursi’s mother and the mother of Majdi Khalaili, father of Anan and Iyad, are sisters from Arara in northern Israel’s Wadi Ara region. Majdi and Mursi are not in regular contact, even after Anan’s move to England, but the family connection remains: two young men represent Israel, while their cousin wears the colors of Palestine. Yunan was expected to start against Syria in the tournament.
Searching for a future in Manchester
Yunan, 16, was born in Nahariya and later lived in Arraba before leaving Israel with his family at the age of two.
About four years ago, he joined Manchester United’s academy and also spent time playing for Stoke City’s U14 team. After appearing in a regional league, he was spotted by a Manchester City scout and joined City’s academy, where he trained for about 18 months.
The central midfielder was not offered a scholarship and later joined the youth setup at FC United of Manchester, the supporter-founded club created by Manchester United fans. He has been playing two years above his age group.
Badarne stars in the match poster against Lebanon
Iyad Khalaili started in Israel U21s’ win over Slovenia
(Photo: Gil Nechushtan)
FC United’s senior team competes in England’s seventh tier, but Yunan’s goal is to move higher rather than progress into its first team. He currently plays for the club’s U19 side and has identified third-tier Stockport County as one possible next step.
Another route, according to the family, would be earning a place with Manchester United’s reserve setup and using that opportunity to pursue a professional contract in England.
Mursi said he contacted Israel U17 coach Arik Benado several times, including through Facebook, to suggest that his son be considered for Israel, where Yunan was born and whose passport he holds in addition to a British passport.
According to Mursi, he received no response and ultimately agreed to let his son represent Palestine.
Benado disputed that account, saying: ‘We check every player referred to us through our scouting system. I did not receive such messages because I don’t use Facebook.’
‘People with the Palestinian team locate players with local roots from around the world, and players have arrived in Aqaba from all over,’ Mursi said. ‘They know that we come from Arara. Once I understood that the Israeli association wasn’t even responding to me, I realized that only exposure through an international team could advance my son, especially in a country like England, where it is very difficult to move forward. That’s why I agreed for him to represent Palestine.’
Yunan Badarne
The Palestine U17 squad, coached by Firas Abu Radwan, includes numerous players based abroad, with only a small portion coming from the Palestinian territories.
Among them are goalkeepers Hamza Fahad Sobhieh, who plays in Norway, and Ryan al-Turk of Spain’s Granada; Mohammed Jamhour of Inter Miami; defender Mohammed al-Malla, who plays in Sweden; and Abdel Rahman al-Omari, who plays in the United Arab Emirates.
They are players of Palestinian origin who do not live in Israel or the Palestinian territories but represent Palestine internationally.
The senior Palestine team has also included players born in Israel who competed in Israel’s top leagues, among them Ataa Jaber, a former captain of Israel’s U21 team and former Maccabi Haifa player, Bnei Sakhnin goalkeeper Abd Yassin and Ahmad Taha, who currently plays for Kafr Qasim in Israel’s second division.
‘They represent Israel with tremendous pride’
On the other side of the family, Anan and Iyad Khalaili have followed a very different international path.
Anan started Israel’s two most recent Nations League matches against Austria and Ireland, while Iyad, a Maccabi Haifa player, started for Israel’s U21 side in its win over Slovenia, keeping the team in contention for a European Championship playoff place.
‘Anan and Iyad represent Israel with all the pride possible, and for them being part of the national team is the biggest thing there is,’ people close to the brothers said.
Those close to the family said Majdi and Mursi maintain only limited contact and stressed that Anan and Iyad never considered representing another national team.
‘Anan achieved great things when he helped win the silver medal at the European Under-19 Championship and was one of the stars of the U20 World Cup, and Iyad played for all the youth national teams,’ they said. ‘They symbolize the best of Israel and want only the success of their national team’