Fortuna Düsseldorf defends to withdraw from buying the Israeli player Shon Weissman about his Gaza posts

The chairman of Fortuna Düsseldorf has defended the decision of the German club to withdraw from the signing of the Israeli player Shon Weissman after a fan of his controversial social media messages about Gaza, and said that it is «absurd» to accuse the second division team of anti-Semitism.

Düsseldorf announced on Tuesday that the Weissman would not sign from the Spanish team Granada, even though it had been in advanced negotiations.

Fans had opposed the planned signing of the 29-year-old Weissman because of his social media posts that supported the behavior of Israel in Gaza after the attacks on southern Israel led by Hamas on 7 October 2023. Weissman’s Instagram account was set on ‘private’ on Saturday.

In the social media message announced the decision on Tuesday, the club did not say why it had canceled the transfer. But Fortuna issued a statement on Friday and said that Weissman’s «statements about social media and the subsequent handling of them were not consistent with our values.»

Chairman Klaus Allofs defended the club’s decision before the team against Hanover on Saturday, but acknowledged that a faster process to reach the decision would have been preferred.

«I would not say it was a mistake. We tried to sign a player and I think that is legitimate,» said Allofs. «It is also part of our values that we do not limit ourselves with prejudices and exclude things from the start.»

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Allofs said that the club deliberately waited to consult Jewish community members in Düsseldorf before he decided against the signing.

Asked for accusations of anti -Semitism, Allofs said, «It is absurd to say it bluntly.»

Israëls Air and Ground campaign has killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, displaced the majority of the population, destroyed huge areas and pushed the territory to famine. Hamas guided militants caused war when they stormed in Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1200 people and kidnapped 251 people.

Shortly after those attacks, Weissman spent the Spanish league match of Granada at Osasuna on security problems. Authorities were concerned about a potentially hostile atmosphere created by Osasuna supporters who are angry with Weissman’s social media reports.