Video of Menashe Zalka in Lebanon assault surfaces online
The clip, originally broadcast by Channel 14 and later verified by Al Jazeera, has intensified an ongoing debate around the role of athletes in active conflict zones.
The captain of an Israeli football team, Menashe Zalka, has provoked outrage after video emerged of him firing a grenade alongside troops invading southern Lebanon.
It’s sparked calls for FIFA to take action against him. pic.twitter.com/rt6PcQTPRd— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 30, 2026
Zalka, who plays for Hapoel Hadera, is seen alongside another soldier inside what appears to be a damaged residential structure. The exact location remains unclear, though Al Jazeera reports place the incident in southern Lebanon.
Israeli media have identified the 35-year-old as a reservist in the army’s paratrooper brigade. His military involvement is not new. According to former Knesset member Dov Lipman, Zalka had previously served for extended periods during operations in Gaza.
Calls grow for FIFA action against Israeli football bodies
Reaction from football circles was swift. Officials linked to the Palestinian Football Association described the incident as unacceptable, while several voices online questioned the silence of global bodies.
“Israel’s Channel 14 celebrates the trigger-happy captain of Hapoel Hadera,” PFA Vice President Susan Shalabi wrote on X, referencing the footage.
Israel’s Channel 14 celebrates the trigger-happy Captain of Hap’oel Khadera, Menashe’ Zelka, as he throws a grenade and shoots around in South Lebanon.#RacismInFootball #KickItOut #UEFA #FIFA #RedCardIsrael pic.twitter.com/hJ0Cmx9SLc
—Susan Shalabi (@SusanShalabiMol) March 28, 2026
Past FIFA rulings and double standards debate resurfaces
Pressure has once again shifted to FIFA, which recently fined the Israeli Football Association 150,000 Swiss francs for breaches of anti-discrimination rules. The governing body, however, stopped short of imposing a suspension.
Critics argue inconsistency. They point to the swift sanctions imposed by UEFA and FIFA on Russian teams following the 2022 Ukraine invasion, contrasting it with the current approach toward Israel.
Wider conflict context: Gaza, Lebanon and rising tensions
The resurfaced video comes amid continued Israeli military operations across Gaza and escalating tensions involving Lebanon and Iran. Reports of violence in the occupied West Bank have also persisted.
Online, reactions have ranged from calls for bans to broader criticism of football’s governing institutions. One commentator described the situation as “kicking a ball on weekends, committing atrocities on weekdays.”
The soldier below, seen throwing grenades and firing in southern Lebanon, is Israeli footballer and Hapoel Hadera captain Menashe Zalka.
FIFA is aware of Israeli players’ involvement in war crimes—yet does nothing. Kicking a ball on weekends, committing atrocities on weekdays. https://t.co/IK7BGEW0CU— Leyla Hamed (@leylahamed) March 28, 2026
No formal disciplinary move has been announced against Zalka for now. But pressure is building again, and the issue shows little sign of fading.
