Stood by us on October 7, and now buying the most expensive Israeli: The story of Crystal Palace

If there were a definition in the dictionary for a "sympathetic team," there would be a picture of Crystal Palace next to it. A modest team by English football terms, for whom staying in the Premier League is the main achievement. In recent years, it has settled comfortably in the middle of the table. However, in the last two seasons, out of nowhere, it won the FA Cup and recorded a huge achievement last season in the form of winning the Conference League. Is this karma for the warm attitude towards Israel? Not sure, but it is nice to think so. What is certain is that Anan Khalaili - who has agreed to terms with the club - is going to arrive at a team that is on an upward trend, in a league that in the eyes of many is the best in the world.

On October 13, 2023, six days after the October 7 massacre, the club published a statement remarkable in its clarity. While most football bodies in England settled for general phrasing about the war in Israel and Gaza, Palace wrote explicitly that more than a thousand Israeli citizens were murdered or kidnapped by "Hamas terrorists." The choice of words was significant. The club did not hide behind vague phrasing, did not describe the massacre as an "escalation," and did not refrain from mentioning who carried it out. The team's players wore black armbands, and at the match against Tottenham at Selhurst Park, a minute of silence was held. Israeli flags were also seen in the stands, and the gesture was respected by the local crowd.

The statement stood out especially in light of the embarrassment that gripped English football at the time. The FA was heavily criticized after refusing to light up the Wembley Stadium arch in the colors of the Israeli flag, and many clubs feared that any direct reference would be interpreted as taking a political stance. Palace, by contrast, chose to define the murder of civilians and their kidnapping as acts of terror. Undeterred.

This connection moves to the pitch. Crystal Palace is set to pay Union Saint-Gilloise 28 million euros for Anan Khalaili, who will become the most expensive Israeli footballer in history. The deal will also break the Belgian club's sales record and completed a sharp turn in the summer of the 21-year-old winger, who was already on his way to Inter, but the move fell through following medical tests. Palace was not deterred and decided to make the big investment. It signed one of the most prominent talents to emerge in Israeli football in recent years, and also returned an Israeli representative to Selhurst Park for the first time in almost three decades.

Palace's home is Selhurst Park, an old 102-year-old stadium. The stands are as close to the pitch as in the English league of the past. No longer a tourist stop for visitors looking for a picture. One of the most authentic stadiums in the league (only about 26,000 seats) with a loyal crowd that has seen too many relegations and embarrassing losses. In the last two years, the fans have been seeing things they never dreamed of. The failing team has become a supplier of players to the biggest clubs. The jewel in the crown is, of course, Michael Olise, who was sold to Bayern Munich for 53 million euros.

For years, this was more or less the story of Palace: great crowd, stubborn team, and battles against relegation. It returned to the Premier League in 2013 and has not been relegated since, but struggled to break beyond the status of a mid-table team. All that changed under Oliver Glasner. In May 2025, Palace defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final and won the first major title in its history. A year later, it added a Conference League win, after defeating Rayo Vallecano in the final. Within a year, a team that had not previously won any significant title collected two cups.

Khalaili will try to succeed where the club's first Israeli failed. In the summer of 1997, Itzik Zohar joined Palace from Beitar Jerusalem for about 1.2 million pounds, a huge sum in terms of Israeli football at the time. One of the greatest midfielders in Israeli football did not adapt at all to life in London, but at least provided a cult moment on Boxing Day that is still remembered today. At 1:1 in the final minutes, Palace received a penalty against Southampton and a chance to record a first home win that season. Zohar approached the ball, but shot weakly and the goalkeeper saved. The Israeli made only six league appearances and returned to Israel within a few months. At Palace, they took this missed penalty hard: Zohar was chosen in a poll as the worst player in the team's history, and there are fans who are still convinced that this miss relegated them that season.

In the club's ownership structure is also a figure with a prominent Jewish and Israeli connection: Josh Harris, the Jewish-American billionaire who holds the club's shares alongside his partner David Blitzer. The businessman also has holdings in the Philadelphia 76ers from the NBA, New Jersey Devils from the NHL, and also the Washington Commanders from the NFL. Harris visited Israel in his youth, stayed at Kibbutz Yahel in the Arava, and over the years has been a partner in philanthropic initiatives related to Israel. Alongside Harris and Blitzer, the prominent shareholders in Palace today are the chairman and long-time fan Steve Parish, as well as Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets and former US Ambassador to the UK, who purchased John Textor's shares in 2025. Textor was responsible for one of the biggest storms in the club's history. His parallel holdings in Palace and Lyon created a problem with UEFA's cross-ownership regulations after both teams qualified for the same European competition. Palace was transferred from the Europa League to the Conference League, a decision Parish called a "terrible injustice." Ironically, the punishment ended with a historic win for the Eagles in the tournament.

Even today, the ownership structure is not necessarily stable: Harris, Blitzer, and Johnson are exploring the possibility of selling their holdings, and the entire club may change hands. But at Selhurst Park, they are used to uncertainty. The club has gone through economic crises, relegations, and two entries into administration, but in the last decade, it has maintained stability in the middle of the table. The circle is closed for Khalaili, this may be the right place to make the next big step. Palace does not have the impossible pressure of the top teams, and his physical and fast style suits the Premier League on paper. Since that missed penalty by Itzik Zohar in 1997, no Israeli player has worn the Crystal Palace jersey. It was supposed to be Manor Solomon, but his move from Tottenham fell through at the last moment last summer and he signed with Villarreal. 30 years after Zohar's move, Khalaili closes the circle. He arrives at a completely different club: no longer a newly promoted team fighting for its life, but a team with real ambitions. Palace bet on him for an unprecedented sum, and now the most expensive Israeli footballer in history will have to prove at Selhurst Park that he is worth every pound.