“I wouldn’t say it was a mistake. We tried to sign a player and I think that’s legitimate,” Allofs said. “It’s also part of our values, that we don’t limit ourselves with prejudices and rule things out from the start.”
Allofs said the club deliberately waited to consult with Jewish community members in Düsseldorf before deciding against the signing.
Asked about accusations of antisemitism, Allofs said: “It’s absurd, to put it bluntly.”
Israel’s air and ground campaign has killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, displaced most of the population, destroyed vast areas and pushed the territory toward famine. Hamas-led militants triggered the war when they stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251 people.
Shortly after those attacks, Weissman sat out Granada’s Spanish league game at Osasuna over security concerns. Authorities had been worried about a potentially hostile atmosphere created by Osasuna supporters angered by Weissman’s social media posts.