Celtic FC cancels signing of player from Israeli club Maccabi Netanya after fan protests

Top Scottish club Celtic have agreed not to go through with the signing of a player from an Israeli football club following protests from fans and the Palestinian community, the Northern Irish branch of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) group announced on social media on Thursday.

Jocelin Ta Bi, who is from Ivory Coast, was due to be signed by The Hoops from Israeli team Maccabi Netanya after a fee of £2 million was agreed, but the club’s ties to an Israeli drone manufacturer and anger over Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip triggered outrage among the club’s fans, leading to the deal collapsing.

Maccabi Netanya is owned by Aliya Capital Partners, a Miami-based investment company specialising in risk management and investment. Its owner, Ross Kestin, agreed to buy the Israeli football club in May last year.

The US-based company has reportedly invested as much as $30 million into Israeli drone maker XTEND, which provides AI-assisted robotic systems for military purposes.

XTEND has reportedly sold thousands of drones to the Israeli military which over a period of two years waged a genocidal military onslaught killing tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Kestin also reportedly sits on the board of XTEND, as well as the boards of Maccabi Netanya and Aliya Capital Partners.

Celtic FC’s fans have been among the most vocal in Europe against Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, and have often been seen waving Palestinian national flags during matches, in defiance of a UEFA ban. The Scottish club often faced fines and sanctions from European football’s governing body over the flags' display.

Despite opposition from Celtic’s fans over the signing of Ta Bi, the Ivorian player was later snapped up by English Premier League Sunderland for a fee of £3.5 million, amid the controversy surrounding Ta Bi and pre-existing ankle issues relating to an injury.

BDS Belfast has urged the English club’s fans to "follow the example of Celtic fans" and for the club to rescind the deal.

In response to the war in Gaza,which has killed over 71,500 Palestinians, there have been several campaigns seeking to bar Israeli football clubs and the national team from competing internationally, as well as acts of solidarity with Palestinians in the face of Israel’s atrocities.