Israel captain Manor Solomon has criticised Ireland after their players declined to shake hands, wore black armbands and looked away during the Israeli national anthem before their Nations League match in Hungary.
Ireland won 3-0 on Sunday night, with first-half goals from Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan. There were no handshakes at full time, and Ireland’s players were booed as they left the field.
Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the fixture on ethical grounds, while captain Dara O’Shea did not shake hands with Solomon during the pre-match coin toss. Ireland’s substitutes and staff also looked towards the floor during the Israeli anthem.
Solomon, who plays for West Ham, delivered a strongly worded response after the defeat.
“They said nonsense [to us] during the game, I don’t want to talk about them,” he said. “If I say what I think about them, I’ll probably be banned for a few games so I don’t want to say. Of course they hate us and we don’t like them.”
He added: “I’m already looking forward to the next game against them, it’s going to be completely different. What they did with the anthem? I’m not interested in them, we have a country that is ten times better than theirs, stronger, an amazing country with amazing people.”
Solomon said Israel’s players were proud to represent their country and promised a response in their remaining matches.
“We are proud to wear the national team’s shirt and be Israelis. We are proud of our country and our soldiers,” he said. “They can play all their tricks. We are Israelis and love the country. And that will always be the case.”
He also said: “We will do everything to make it look completely different against Kosovo, we have four more games in the campaign and it’s not over. I believe in ourselves that we can do it. I know who I’m with here, I know the players and the team, we will get out of this and get revenge for this.”
Gavin Bazunu explains decision to withdraw
The match had been preceded by intense debate within the Irish camp, with the squad holding a four-hour meeting over whether to take part.
Bazunu, who plays for Bolton Wanderers, said his decision was based on his opposition to the killing of innocent people, while stressing that it was not directed at Israeli people or the Jewish community.
“I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle,” he said. “My decision is based purely upon my belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.”
He added: “It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition to the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region.
“There are few times when you get a chance in life to stand for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them.”
Because of Bazunu’s withdrawal, QPR defender Jimmy Dunne was named as a goalkeeper on the official team-sheet to meet UEFA’s requirement for squads to include at least three goalkeepers.
Jason Knight had earlier described the situation as uncomfortable, saying he did not think the match should be going ahead but that Ireland would discuss the circumstances as a group.
O’Shea also said Ireland had been placed in a difficult position after the fixture was approved by the Football Association of Ireland, the Irish Government and UEFA.
“We feel exposed, it’s come down to us as such at the end,” he said. “We knew that was going to be the case and this was going to come our way. It’s a difficult situation but we understand the severity of it too.”
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson had previously said his team were “playing against genocide” amid Israel’s attacks on Palestine. His comments prompted an angry response from Israeli officials, while a petition calling for the fixture to be cancelled attracted more than 17,000 signatures.
Ireland recognised a Palestinian state in May 2024, later joined South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and has taken several other measures in opposition to Israel’s actions and policies.
The Football Association of Ireland ultimately voted in July to play the Nations League fixtures, with 75 delegates in favour and 32 opposed. It decided that Ireland’s home matches against Israel would be staged at neutral venues, citing operational challenges that could affect the delivery of games on home soil.
The return fixture will be played behind closed doors at a neutral venue in Serbia on Sunday. No tickets were sold to Irish supporters for either match, while only a limited allocation was made available to Israeli fans for the first fixture.
The contest has taken place against the backdrop of the war in Gaza. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said on Saturday that 74,016 Palestinians had been killed and 175,068 wounded since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostages.
