Football club from Germany signed a player through his posts

• The club signed the player through his publication.
• The club's president condemned the accusations of antisemitism.
• The conflict in Gaza has resulted in numerous civilian casualties among the population.

The football club Fortuna Düsseldorf confirmed its decision not to sign Israeli player Shon Weissman after negative reactions from fans to his posts on social media about Gaza. The club announced this in a tweet, stating that negotiations with Spanish club Granada were at the final stage.

Fans protested against the signing of 29-year-old Weissman due to his statements supporting Israel's actions in Gaza after the attacks carried out by Hamas on July 7, 2023. On Instagram, Weissman's comment on the announcement was in "private" mode.

In its post on social media, the club did not explain the reasons for canceling the transfer, but in a statement, Fortuna clarified that "Weissman's statements on social media do not correspond to our values." The club president Klaus Allofs condemned the club's decision before the match against Hannover, but admitted that the decision was made based on a desire.

Allofs emphasized that the club began to consult with representatives of the Jewish community of Düsseldorf before making the final decision. When asked about the accusations of antisemitism, he replied: "This is absurd, as I say."

The conflict in Gaza has resulted in numerous casualties, including as a result of Israeli airstrikes that killed thousands of people, with most of the population forced to evacuate their homes, while the territory was described as a disaster zone. The attack by Hamas militants on Israel on July 7, 2023, led to the deaths of nearly 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 individuals.

After these attacks, Weissman proposed the Granada team in the Spanish league against Osasuna due to the absence of security, as the authorities were concerned about possible negative reactions from Osasuna's fans.

Tags: Middle East/Sport/Football