Crystal Palace Prepares to Welcome Israeli Midfielder Annan Khalaily with Strong Fan Support

Crystal Palace recently won the Conference League with a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano. The club is now set to sign Israeli midfielder Annan Khalaily, prompting reflections on previous Israeli players at the London club. Besides the well-known trauma of Itzik Zohar's time there, two other Israelis have played for Palace: David Amsalem in the 1998/99 season and Dekel Keinan, who was loaned from Cardiff for a brief six-week spell in November 2011.

Dekel Keinan spoke ahead of Khalaily's official signing, sharing his experience at Crystal Palace and his views on the English Championship league, where three Israelis, Daniel Peretz, Manor Solomon, and Lyes Hissouat, will play this season. Keinan recalled that despite his short stint, the club remembered him fondly, even sending him tickets for a match against Chelsea during a family visit to London. He praised Palace's focus on developing young players, citing Wilfried Zaha as an example of the club’s commitment to nurturing talent.

Keinan denied experiencing any antisemitism during his time at Palace or in the United States, expressing pride in his Israeli identity. He also highlighted the role of Maccabi Haifa in Khalaily's development, noting that while Khalaily did not play extensively for Haifa, his signing by Palace marks him as one of the club's most successful alumni. Keinan emphasized the physical and competitive nature of the Championship, its rich traditions, and the passionate fan base, which he expects will warmly support Khalaily.

Looking ahead, Keinan believes Khalaily will integrate well, especially if Palace sells forward Eberechi Eze. He described Palace as a strong second-tier English club and expressed hope that Khalaily will succeed and bring pride to Israel.