Former Israeli Footballer Murid Abu Anza Praises Irish Player's Pro-Palestinian Gesture
Murid Abu Anza, a former prominent striker in Israeli football leagues, has sparked controversy after praising an Irish player for wearing a black armband, which Abu Anza interpreted as a gesture of solidarity with Palestinians. Abu Anza, who played for several Israeli clubs including Hapoel Bnei Lod and MS Ashdod, posted a story on social media after Ireland's victory, writing "Thank you Ireland" and sharing a photo of Irish player Jack Moylan kissing the armband. This is not the first time Abu Anza has expressed pro-Palestinian sentiments online; he previously shared a photo of Lamine Yamal with a Palestinian flag and posted an image of Pep Guardiola wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh.
Abu Anza, 39, had a notable career in Israeli football, scoring 123 league goals. He was particularly recognized for his time at Hapoel Bnei Lod, where he scored 72 goals in his first stint and 17 more later. He was the top scorer in the National League in the 2011/12 season with 19 goals. He also played in the Premier League for clubs like Maccabi Petah Tikva and MS Ashdod, scoring 4 and 9 league goals respectively.
The former player's recent social media activity has drawn criticism from within the Israeli football community.
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