Israel captain Manor Solomon launched a blistering attack on the Republic of Ireland following his side’s comprehensive 3-0 Nations League defeat in Debrecen, Hungary on Sunday evening.
The West Ham winger, who had attempted a measured approach during the tense build-up to the fixture, abandoned all diplomacy after the final whistle. “If I say what I think about them I’ll probably be banned for a few games,” Solomon said. “Of course they hate us and we don’t like them.”
The skipper went on to make an extraordinary declaration about his homeland. “We have a country that is 10 times better than theirs, stronger, an amazing country with amazing people, proud to wear the national team’s uniform and be Israelis,” he said. “Proud of our country and our soldiers, we can do any number of things.”
Ireland had raced into a commanding lead inside the opening 25 minutes at the Nagyerdei Stadion, with goals from Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan settling the contest early.
Manor Solomon launched a blistering attack on the Republic of Ireland
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Solomon’s teammate Daniel Peretz was equally incensed by the Irish squad’s conduct, particularly their decision to bow their heads throughout Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah, before kick-off.
The Southampton goalkeeper branded the behaviour as rooted in wilful closed-mindedness. “It all stems from ignorance,” Peretz said. “If I understand that, it’s easier for me to deal with it.”
He drew a distinction between those willing to engage with the complexities of the situation and those who were not. “There are those who came and asked, who understand the situation. But there are those who don’t want to, aren’t interested, and find it very easy to express an opinion,” he said.
Ireland’s players also declined to shake hands with their Israeli counterparts both prior to the match and after the full-time whistle. Peretz dismissed those responsible. “There’s nothing to get upset about, these are ignorant people,” he said.
The gestures from the Irish camp extended well beyond the anthem protest. Captain Dara O’Shea pointedly refused to shake Solomon’s hand before the match, while goalscorer Moylan tore off his black armband — intended to commemorate both Israeli and Palestinian victims of the conflict in Gaza — and kissed it in front of Israel’s 200 travelling supporters.
Republic of Ireland vs Israel was marred by controversy
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The Irish squad had voted on the matter of whether to fulfil the fixture at all. A ballot on Saturday morning saw a majority back playing, though a notable minority — reported to be between six and eight players — opposed participation.
One player understood to have supported going ahead with the match was Finn Azaz, Peretz’s clubmate at Southampton, whose mother holds Israeli citizenship. Azaz was ultimately named among the substitutes, with manager Heimir Hallgrímsson acknowledging the midfielder occupied a “different position to other players” within the group.
Solomon made clear that the stinging defeat had only intensified his desire for the return fixture, scheduled for next Sunday behind closed doors in the small Serbian town of Backa Topola. “The next game against them, it’s going to be completely different,” he said. “We will get revenge for this.”
Israel head coach Ran Ben Shimon took a markedly different tone, shouldering responsibility for the humbling result. “Huge disappointment, the blame is on me,” he said. “I thought we had prepared properly. We hadn’t.”
Ben Shimon conceded his players had crumbled under the weight of the occasion. “We didn’t handle the pressure well, this is very obvious. We didn’t understand what is on our shoulders; we failed mentally, tactically,” he said.
The manager urged his squad to regroup quickly, with fixtures against Ireland and Kosovo still to come. “We have to find the energy to wake up, to rise again,” he said.
Republic of Ireland defeated Israel 3-0 after three goals in 25 minutes
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The fallout from the match extended beyond the dressing room. FAI president Paul Cooke took aim at the Irish press, accusing them of presenting an excessively one-sided account of the political sensitivities surrounding the fixture. This coverage, he argued, had heaped undue “pressure” on the players.
Alan Shatter, a former Irish justice minister, was present at the Nagyerdei Stadion on a press pass for the Jerusalem Post. He accused too many in Ireland of promoting an “ideological, hate-fuelled, anti-Semitic agenda.”
Shatter also described the treatment of Israel’s players as “shameful,” condemning what he characterised as a fundamental lack of respect.
The two sides are due to meet again in Backa Topola next Sunday, with Ireland facing Austria in Dublin on Thursday in between. Questions remain over whether the return fixture will proceed, given the divisions that persist within the Irish squad.
