Israeli forward ‘pained’ after Palestine views collapse transfer move

Granada forward Shon Weissman has released a lengthy statement lamenting his failed move to German side Fortuna Dusseldorf. The deal has collapsed due to protests from Fortuna fans, citing his views on Israeli attacks in Gaza, which have been classed as a genocide by the International Court of Justice.

Weissman, 29, has spent most of the last five years in Spanish football after arriving from Wolfsberger in Austria. Spending three seasons at Real Valladolid, he would move to Granada, where he also had a loan spell at Salernitana in Serie A. Weissman is due to leave Los Nazaries this summer, and had agreed a deal to leave for Fortuna.

Fortuna Dusseldorf pull out of move for Weissman

However after previous posts from Weissman on social media emerged, Fortuna Dusseldorf fans mobilised against the signing. requesting that the club did not go through with the move. Weissman commented on one post of an Israeli soldier asking to ‘shoot them in the head’, while in another commented ‘ Can anyone give me one logical reason why 200 tonnes of bombs have not been dropped on Gaza yet?’

This isn’t the 1930s. Shon Weissman wasn’t dropped for being Jewish. He was dropped because he defended the mass bombing of civilians in Gaza. That’s not “politics,” it’s accountability.Don’t support genocide and you won’t get boycotted. https://t.co/GRaVp3zyPP pic.twitter.com/3nRnpkJexd

— Leyla Hamed (@leylahamed) August 5, 2025

After being made aware of the posts, Fortuna announced on social media that they would not be pursuing the move, after a period of ‘intensive consideration’.

INFO-TWEET ℹ️

Wir haben uns intensiv mit Shon Weissman beschäftigt, uns aber final entschieden, von einer Verpflichtung abzusehen.#f95 | 🔴⚪

— Fortuna Düsseldorf (@f95) August 5, 2025

Weissman responds: ‘A person will always stand with their country no matter what’

Weissman responded to the move with an impassioned threat on Twitter/X, explaining that he ‘would not allow himself to be painted as a person of hate’ over ‘3 likes and 1 comment that was deleted instantly’.

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 an Israeli, and as an athlete representing my country.

— shonweissman9 (@shonweissman9) August 5, 2025

The 29-year-old forward went on to remark that his country was still grieving from the terrorist attacks on the 7th of October in Israel, and that people outside of Israel could not understand his perspective. He vowed to continue representing Israel with pride, and would ‘stand with Israel no matter what’ – the crux of the failed signing.

Back in 2023, after the posts made by Weissman, Osasuna fans protested against him during a match against Granada by showing Palestine flags in the stands. Weissman did not actually play in the match due to fears over his safety.

Shon Weissman’s full statements:

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 brutalised, remains an open wound for me. as a person, as an Israeli, and as an athlete representing my country.

It’s both possible and necessary to oppose harm to innocent people on both sides. But I won’t allow myself to be painted as someone who promoted hate with 3 likes and 1 comment that was deleted instantly.

If that’s hard for some to accept, they should take another look at what happened on October 7th.

While I accept all criticism, it pains me that the full context was not considered. In a moment of national and personal heartbreak, I remain committed to the values of humanity, sportsmanship, and mutual respect.

At the end of the day, a person will always stand with their country, no matter what.No outsider can ever truly understand what we’ve been through.

Loyalty isn’t up for debate. Especially not when your people are still burying their dead.

I am deeply grateful for the support I’ve received from people that actually know me.I will continue to proudly carry the Israeli flag wherever I play.