Israeli soccer star Omer Atzili presented in UAE as Romanian player

Israeli soccer player Omer Atzili was officially introduced by the Emirati club Al-Ain on Wednesday, becoming the first Israeli Jew to play in an Arab country.

However, Atzili was presented as a Romanian and not an Israeli player, with the club taking advantage of his European passport obtained in 2015, Channel 12 News reported.

Many Al-Ain fans were against signing the Israeli player and say they are not fooled by his Romanian "identity."

"Al-Ain does not tell you that it was an Israeli player who was signed and not Romanian," an Emirates media outlet reported. "Al-Ain's shame continues," it added.

"Al-Ain is forcing its fans to cheer for a player they’ve never wanted. The Israeli player will damage the image of the club," said Ahmed Al Nuaimi, the president of the association against the normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

The Qatari channel Al Jazeera surprisingly welcomed the signing of Atzili without concealing his Israeli nationality.

"Israel's biggest league star is coming to the Emirates. Atzili, who will wear number 7, is a major purchase for next season. It's another step in the normalization between Israel and the Emirates. History," said the channel.

Some details of the contract signed between Atzili and Al-Ain have been revealed. Before accepting the transfer, the former Maccabi Haifa player had some requirements relating to his Jewish religion. He was thus allowed not to play or train during several Jewish holidays, including Yom Kippur. The club's management has indicated that it wants to respect the player's religious beliefs.

Another clause in the contract stipulates that the Israeli will not travel outside the Emirates for matches in the Asian Champions League, a competition in which Al-Ain is likely to meet clubs from countries hostile to Israel such as Iran or Syria. Although Azili’s Romanian passport could have allowed him to play, neither he nor the club wanted to take the risk.