Beitar Jersualem fans are well known for their anti-arab chanting at matches

Beitar Jerusalem has always been the bad boy of Israeli football.

Its fans revel in being underdogs - poor, right-wing and anti-establishment. They're well known for their extreme nationalist politics and anti-arab chants. Their proudest boast is that an Arab never has and never will play for the club.

Now under the ownership of flamboyant Russian billionaire Arkadi Gaydamak, Beitar is top of the Israeli league, but the behaviour of its hard-core fans continues to cause trouble.

For Assignment David Goldblatt travels to Israel to meet the fans and players of Beitar Jerusalem and explore the heady mix of politics and football in Israel.



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