German club cancels Israeli striker’s deal over Gaza controversy

German football club Fortuna Düsseldorf has cancelled the signing of Israeli striker Shon Weissman

German football club Fortuna Düsseldorf has cancelled the signing of Israeli striker Shon Weissman after fans strongly objected to his past social media posts about Gaza.

Weissman, who was set to join the club from Spain’s Granada CF, had already arrived in Düsseldorf and passed his medical tests. But just before the signing was made official, the club decided to cancel the deal.

In a short statement, the club said: “We looked into Shon Weissman intensively, but ultimately decided not to sign him.” The club did not give specific reasons.

However, German newspaper Bild reported that fans were upset over old posts Weissman had shared online during the early stages of the Gaza conflict. Some of his posts included extreme statements, such as calls to bomb Gaza and saying there were “no innocents” there.

Weissman later deleted the posts and said he wrote them while he was emotionally affected. But many fans had already started an online petition, calling his views unacceptable and against the club’s values.

In Germany, fans have a strong voice in club decisions through the “50+1 rule,” which gives supporters majority voting rights in football clubs. This means fans can influence major decisions — including which players are signed.

Weissman has played 33 times for the Israeli national team and had also faced protests during his time in Spain.

Reports say the club and the player were planning to issue a joint apology after the signing, but the deal was cancelled before that could happen.

This situation highlights how football fans are becoming more active and vocal about political and social issues, especially when it comes to players’ actions off the pitch.