Last year Beitar had to play a game behind closed doors after their fans sang songs defaming the Prophet Muhammad during a cup game. But it was a huge protest that took place in Sakhnin before the Toto Cup games were due to take place that not only shocked the Israeli FA into action, but also reopened the debate about the country's Arab, Muslim minority.

Debate raged in the Israeli press over how many people turned up to the pro-Gaza protests, where Palestinian flags were flown and plastic baby dolls were brandished covered in red paint to mimic blood. The Jerusalem Post reported that only 10,000 protesters turned up, singing anti-Israeli songs and flying Hamas flags, which for many Israelis is akin to flying the Swastika. Ha'aretz on the other hand, reported that 100,000 people protested and that it was largely peaceful.

Prominent in the protests was Genaim, the football club's outspoken former chairman who left his position at Bnei Sakhnin in November to successfully be elected