Maccabi Haifa's Eli Dasa Welcome Video Sparks Outrage Over Insensitive Timing
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Maccabi Haifa's welcome video for new player Eli Dasa has sparked outrage due to its insensitive timing and imagery. The video, which depicted a UFO-like object crashing into the stadium, was released shortly after a fatal incident involving an explosive device in northern Israel. Critics, including fans and Dutch media, condemned the club's choice of visuals as tone-deaf and anxiety-inducing, especially given the ongoing security tensions in the region.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Maccabi Haifa's welcome video for Eli Dasa used imagery of a crashing object, drawing heavy criticism.
- The video's release coincided with news of a fatal explosion and multiple injuries in northern Israel.
- Critics called the club's choice of visuals insensitive and anxiety-inducing given the security situation.
- Social media users and Dutch media outlets condemned the video's bizarre and inappropriate timing.
- One user sarcastically suggested future video concepts involving disasters and Eli Dasa's arrival.
Maccabi Haifa announced the signing of 33-year-old defender Eli Dasa on Monday, but the accompanying presentation video quickly drew widespread criticism online. The club attempted to humorously reference recent reports of unidentified aerial phenomena near the Lebanese border by depicting a mysterious object descending upon the stadium. However, this imagery was released shortly after news broke of a 14-year-old boy's death and 23 injuries from an explosive device during a tour in northern Israel. The depiction of a crashing object was deemed highly insensitive given the tense security situation, eliciting angry reactions both in Israel and in the Netherlands, Dasa's former team.
Social media users expressed shock and anxiety, with one fan writing on X, "This welcome video gave me anxiety all over my body. They're not normal." Another questioned the choice of imagery, while a third sarcastically suggested future video concepts involving plane crashes and global pandemics. One user directly linked Dasa's arrival to the aerial phenomena, stating, "The only connection between Eli Dasa and a UFO or spaceship is that he's going to crash in Haifa."
Similar criticism emerged from the Netherlands, where Dasa most recently played. Soccernews described the video as "bizarre" and "puzzling," noting that Dasa "crashes into Maccabi Haifa's stadium via a UFO." The outlet added that "given the current situation in the region, the image actually evokes other associations."
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