A proposed transfer of Israeli international Shon Weissman to German second-tier club Fortuna Dusseldorf has collapsed following supporter opposition over the striker's past social media activity.
The 29-year-old forward was set to join from Spanish Segunda Division side Granada for a reported €500,000 fee when the German club announced on Tuesday they would not proceed with the signing.
Fortuna Dusseldorf confirmed they had thoroughly assessed Weissman but ultimately chose to withdraw from the deal.
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The reversal followed mounting pressure from supporters who discovered controversial posts on the player's social media accounts relating to the Gaza conflict after the October 2023 Hamas attacks.
Fortuna Dusseldorf have cancelled the signing of Shon Weissman over social media posts made about Gaza
|PA
According to reports, Weissman's social media activity included posts questioning why heavy bombs hadn't been dropped on Gaza and interactions with content calling for Gaza to be erased from the map.
The player allegedly responded to images of detained Palestinians asking why they weren't being shot, and engaged with posts claiming there were no innocent people in Gaza.
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Weissman's representatives have maintained that these posts and interactions were not made by the player himself but by a social media manager who had access to his accounts.
The striker has stated that one comment was immediately deleted after being posted.
The club initially defended their prospective signing when supporters began voicing concerns.
Fortuna Dusseldorf posted on social media questioning the practice of judging individuals based on Wikipedia entries, stating such behaviour contradicted their values.
However, mounting opposition proved decisive. Supporters launched a petition urging management to abandon the transfer, arguing that Weissman's comments were discriminatory and incompatible with the club's commitment to diversity and community values.
The petition warned that completing the signing could harm the club's reputation and alienate its fanbase.
Within hours of these protests intensifying, Fortuna Dusseldorf reversed course and announced they would not pursue the transfer.
Following the announcement, Weissman issued a statement acknowledging his nation's ongoing grief from the October 7 attacks whilst rejecting portrayals of him as promoting hatred.
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"I am a member of a nation that is still mourning the horrors of Oct. 7," he said, describing the attacks as leaving "an open wound for me as a person, as a member of an Israeli family and as an athlete representing my country."
The striker expressed gratitude for support from those who knew him personally and pledged to "continue to proudly carry the Israeli flag wherever I play."
This incident highlights growing scrutiny of players' political positions in European football, with Mainz having previously dismissed Anwar El Ghazi over social media statements about the conflict.
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