German Club Bows to Anti-Israel Pressure, Cancels Signing of Striker Shon Weissman

Israeli footballer Shon Weissman will not be joining German club Fortuna Düsseldorf after the team reversed its decision to sign him following fan outrage over his past comments about the war in Gaza. The second-division club had reportedly agreed to a €500,000 transfer deal with Weissman’s current team, Granada, but announced Tuesday that the move had been canceled.

“We conducted a thorough review of Shon Weissman but ultimately decided not to sign him,” read a statement from the club. The reversal came after widespread criticism from fans regarding pro-Israel statements made by Weissman shortly after the October 7 attacks, including a now-deleted post calling to “erase Gaza.” Supporters also pointed to a social media post in which Weissman expressed support for IDF soldiers and the war effort, arguing he was unfit to represent the club. A petition opposing the transfer circulated online, further pressuring the club.

According to Bild, Weissman had already completed his medical and had made a strong impression on team officials. The club was reportedly aware of his deleted posts but chose to back out at the last minute in response to the backlash.

Weissman has faced similar controversies during his time in European football. Two years ago, fans of Granada protested after he shared tweets calling for Gaza to be destroyed without warning, claiming "there are no innocents there." A group of local Palestinians even filed a hate crime complaint after Weissman posted (and later deleted) an image of Israeli soldiers aiming guns at two suspected female assailants, asking, “Why not shoot them in the head?”

He also publicly criticized fellow Israeli player Munas Dabbur, who had expressed discontent over violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. After Dabbur was booed by fans, Weissman said, “He realized the mistake he made.”