Hapoel Rahat (, ) is an Israeli football club based in the

Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...

city of

Rahat Rahat (, ) is an Arab Bedouin city in the Southern District (Israel), Southern District of Israel. In , it had a population of . As such, it is the largest Bedouin city in Israel, and the only one to have city council (Israel), city status. Ra ...

. The club is currently in

Liga Bet Liga Bet () is the fourth tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into four regional divisions. History League football started in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. However, the financial ...

South B division.

History

The club was founded in 1982 by Salameh al-Kamalat, and became the first club to represent the city of

, after football in Rahat was previously represented by Hapoel al-Huzeil and Hapoel al-Ubra, which have represented their local tribes, rather than the city of Rahat. Hapoel Rahat started at

Liga Dalet Liga Dalet (, lit. ''D League'') was the fifth (in 1958–59 and between 1969 and 1976) and sixth (between 1976 and 1985) tier, at the bottom of the Israeli football league system. History Liga Dalet first came into existence in 1958 as a league ...

, then the sixth and lowest tier of Israeli football, where they played until the league was scrapped (in 1985), and as a result were promoted to

Liga Gimel Liga Gimel (, lit. ''League C'') is, since 2009, the fifth and bottom division of Israeli football league system, Israeli Football League. From Liga Alef and downwards, including Liga Gimel, each league is separated by region. History Liga Gimel ...

.His baby
Guy Goldfarb, Doublepass, 23.5.2010 The club was promoted to

(the fifth tier from 1999 to 2009) for the first time, after winning Liga Gimel South division in the 1999–2000 season. However, they were relegated back to Liga Gimel, after finished bottom of Liga Bet South B division in the following season. Although Hapoel Rahat made an immediate return to Liga Bet, they were relegated once more at the end of the 2002–03 season, this time after second bottom finish. In the 2008–09 season, the club finished on top of Liga Gimel Central division, level on points with F.C. Kiryat Gat and Bnei Yeechalal Rehovot, and had to face both clubs in a three-way

promotion play-off Promotion may refer to: Marketing * Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or i ...

. Hapoel Rahat finished the play-off as runners-up, after F.C. Kiryat Gat, and were eventually promoted to Liga Bet after Hapoel Masos (which were relegated from

Liga Alef Liga Alef () is the third tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south. History League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Howe ...

South division), folded during the summer. Thus, the club jumped by two levels, as Liga Bet became the fourth tier of Israeli football, following the closure of

Liga Artzit Liga Artzit (, lit. ''Country League'') is the defunct third division of Israeli Football League, beneath its highest division Premier League and the second division Liga Leumit. Before being cancelled in 2009, it was run by the Israel Football A ...

at the summer of 2009. The club's best achievement to date came at the 2013–14 season, when they finished fifth in Liga Bet South B division and qualified for the

Promotion play-offs Promotion may refer to: Marketing * Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or i ...

, where they made a remarkable run, as without the home advantage, they eliminated the second placed, Maccabi Ironi Netivot, with a win on penalties after 1–1 draw in the first round, and in the second round, they eliminated the fourth placed, Ironi Modi'in, with a win of 1–0, and qualified for the regional final, where they lost 1–2 against the Liga Bet North A regional winners, Hapoel Hod HaSharon, in a match which was held in

Ramat Gan Stadium Ramat Gan Stadium (, ''Itztadion Ramat Gan'') is a football stadium in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. It served as the national stadium of Israel until 2014. Overview Completed in 1951 and serving as Israel's largest stadium e ...

.Hapoel Hod HaSharon Ironi 2–1 Hapoel Rahat
The Israel Football Association

Honours

League League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football * ''League of Legends'', a 2009 multiplayer online battle a ...

References

External links

Hapoel Rahat
The Israel Football Association {{Liga Bet Arab Israeli culture Bedouins in Israel

Association football clubs established in 1982 1982 establishments in Israel

Rahat Arab-Israeli football clubs