Fortuna Düsseldorf scraps deal with Israel’s Shon Weissman after fan outrage over his past social media remarks on Gaza sparks heated political and sporting controversy.
A planned transfer that could have boosted Fortuna Düsseldorf’s attacking power has collapsed under the weight of political outrage. On Tuesday, the German second-division side announced it was abandoning the signing of Israeli national team striker Shon Weissman following a storm of online protests over past social media posts linked to the ongoing Gaza war.
The deal — reportedly close to completion after Weissman, 29, passed his medical and arrived in Germany — fell apart within 24 hours of Bild revealing his imminent move from Spain’s Granada FC.
Social media backlash was swift and fierce. Supporters circulated an online petition accusing Weissman of making “disrespectful and discriminatory” remarks, citing deleted posts from the days after Hamas’s October 7 massacre, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and saw hundreds taken hostage.
Weissman had reportedly written that Israel should “wipe Gaza off the map” and “drop 200 tons of bombs on it,” while liking other posts declaring “there are no innocents (in Gaza), they don’t need to be warned.” He later deleted the comments, admitting they were made “in the heat of the moment” during an emotional national tragedy.
The club, under mounting pressure, issued a brief statement:
“We looked into Shon Weissman intensively, but ultimately decided not to sign him.”
Weissman expressed disappointment over the decision, posting a lengthy statement on Instagram:
“I am a son of a nation still grieving from the horrors of October 7th. That black day, when entire families were murdered, kidnapped, and brutalized, remains an open wound for me as a person, as a member of an Israeli family, and as an athlete representing my country.”
He insisted it is possible to “oppose harm to innocent people on both sides” while also rejecting the notion that he had promoted hate.
“No outsider can truly understand what we’ve been through. Loyalty isn’t up for debate — especially not when your people are still burying their dead.”
Weissman vowed to carry the Israeli flag proudly wherever he plays, underscoring that sportsmanship and national pride are not mutually exclusive.
The saga has sparked fierce debate in both Germany and Israel — over free speech in sports, political expression by athletes, and the limits of fan-driven outrage in the era of online activism.
