Pro-Palestine football fans lament West Ham for signing Manor Solomon

The 27-year-old Israeli player has used his platform to defend Israel amid the genocide in Gaza. For West Ham United, there is an obvious argument for signing 27-year-old Manor Solomon: his footballing talent, which has been evident throughout his career. He won two Ukrainian league titles with Shakhtar Donetsk and scored against Real Madrid in the Champions League, before later scoring in four consecutive Premier League games for Fulham. Most relevant to West Ham, however, was his Championship-winning 2024-25 season at Leeds United, where he scored 10 goals and supplied 12 assists in 39 league appearances. Relegated from the Premier League, the London club has signed the Israeli winger from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal reportedly worth an initial 5 million pounds ($6.75m), potentially rising to 7 million pounds ($9.45m).

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Scoop News DeskWest Ham · Published Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 2:41 PM UTCUpdated Friday, August 14, 2026 at 2:27 PM UTC

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According to the Palestine Football Association, 1,007 members of Gaza’s sporting community had been killed by February 12, 2026, including 565 in football, while 265 facilities had been damaged. “How can these footballers … be trusted in clubs while backing the destruction of Gaza, including clubs and stadiums?” Pro-Palestine football fans lament West Ham for signing Manor Solomon. In September 2025, his arrival at Villarreal also upset some, with pro-Palestine accounts posting Palestinian flag icons, boycott calls and messages declaring him unwelcome at the Spanish club.

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