Israeli Footballer Embroiled in Assault Scandal in Southern Lebanon

Israeli Footballer Involved in Military Assault in Southern Lebanon

A video posted by Israeli Channel 14 shows Menashe Zalka, a player for Hapoel Hadera in the Israeli Premier League, opening fire with an Israeli army soldier during a military assault in southern Lebanon. The incident occurred amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran.

Zalka, who is also enlisted in the army’s paratrooper brigade as a reserve, was seen accompanied by another Israeli army soldier as they opened fire from a damaged building in a residential area at an unspecified location in southern Lebanon. The video has prompted calls for FIFA to take action against Zalka and the Israeli Football Association (IFA).

The IFA was recently fined 150,000 Swiss francs ($189,000) by FIFA’s disciplinary committee for “multiple breaches” of anti-discrimination obligations. However, the body was not suspended despite calls from the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) and rights groups.

A Palestinian football official has termed Zalka’s involvement in the military assault as “unacceptable”. The incident has led to renewed calls for FIFA to ban the IFA and take action against Zalka.

In October 2024, the PFA reported allegations of discrimination by the IFA to FIFA, which initiated an investigation but did not suspend the Israeli body. The IFA was found to have failed to “abide by FIFA’s statutory objectives”, listing several incidents of racism in Israeli football.

FIFA and UEFA have faced criticism for their handling of similar situations, with some accusing them of double standards. The recent incident has led to renewed calls for action against Zalka and the IFA.

The situation remains ongoing, with Israeli air strikes and ground attacks continuing across the Gaza Strip amid a US-brokered “ceasefire”.

Source: Al Jazeera