Kfar Qassem Club Explains Player's Release to Palestinian National Team

The Israeli football club Maccabi Ahi Nazareth, also known as Kfar Qassem, has explained its decision to allow player Ahmed Taha to represent the Palestinian national team, a move that has caused controversy. Taha, a defender, has chosen to play for Palestine again, participating in recent matches against New Zealand and Tajikistan.

The club stated that they cannot prevent Taha from joining the national team due to regulations from UEFA and the Football Association. According to Ramzi Badir, who oversees sports for Kfar Qassem, if the club had refused his departure, Taha would have become a free agent, potentially moving to a Qatari club without any transfer fee being paid to Kfar Qassem.

Badir revealed that a Qatari team is interested in Taha, but is currently unwilling to pay a transfer fee to an Israeli club. However, Kfar Qassem has reached an agreement with another Qatari club that would provide them with a significant sum and allow Taha to fulfill his dream of playing in Qatar. The club is facing a dilemma because the interested Qatari clubs are hesitant to transfer funds to an Israeli football entity.

Kfar Qassem has previously received grants totaling $14,000 for Taha's participation with the national team and expects to receive similar compensation for the current campaign. Head coach Yaron Hochenboim is reportedly aware of and agrees with the club's handling of the situation. Badir urged the Football Association to intervene, suggesting that if players are not allowed to leave for national teams, they should not automatically become free agents, which would allow for further discussion on the matter.