Supporters of Glasgow Rangers FC have called on the club’s leadership to scrap any plans to sign Israeli striker Dor Turgeman, saying that this would be inappropriate while Israel stands accused of genocide in Gaza.
In a strongly worded open letter addressed to Rangers CEO James Stewart and the board, a collective of “Concerned Rangers Fans” urged the club to distance itself from ongoing rumours about the possible signing of Israeli striker Dor Turgeman from Maccabi Tel Aviv.
“This is a time of transfer rumours as the squad is rebuilt,” the fans wrote. “And one rumour that has been gaining momentum has been of Israeli striker Dor Turgeman. We want to share our dismay over this prospect.”
The group clarified that their concern was not about the footballing ability of the player, but the political and ethical implications of signing an Israeli national in the current climate.
“We are not assessing his footballing qualities – that is the Manager’s job,” they stated. “But instead what his signing would mean for the club’s culture and stability in the near future.”
Citing Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, which has killed over 57,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the supporters said they “consider it genocide.”
They argued that signing a player who proudly represents Israel “would be interpreted as a tacit acceptance of what the State is doing, in the same way buying a Russian player could be interpreted.”
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Turgeman currently plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv – a club the letter described as “known for its backing of the IDF” and whose fans are infamous for racist and pro-military chants such as: “Let the IDF win,” “f**k the Arabs” and “there are no schools in Gaza because there are no children left.”
“We don’t want our club to be associated with genocide and racism,” they stressed.
The letter also raised questions about whether Turgeman had served in the Israeli military, which is compulsory for most Israeli citizens.
“If Dor Turgeman did so, he may be guilty of war crimes,” the letter read. “It is crucial that we know if he has served in the IDF and if he has, it must be immediately disqualifying.”
According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, nearly 70% of Israeli footballers serve in the IDF, which has faced repeated accusations of war crimes in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice, while the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-defence minister Yoav Gallant.
The fans warned that Turgeman’s signing would inflame existing sectarian tensions and embolden a “minority of bigots” within the Rangers fanbase. “We have already seen Rangers fans drafting up anti-Palestinian chants online in response, in large part because many Celtic fans are pro-Palestinian,” the group said.
They continued: “The one downside to our club is the minority of bigots, and this will just feed their bigotry further.”
From a financial standpoint, the supporters also argued the transfer would be bad business, stating: “If the player was to be a success, we feel the buying market for him, as an Israeli, is likely to be limited and getting ever smaller as the crimes committed by the State become more and more obvious to the world.”
They added that if the transfer went ahead, “we would feel unable to continue to support the club monetarily,” stressing that while they do not claim to represent a majority, they reflect “a sizable minority” whose voices must be heard.
The letter concluded with a direct plea: “We therefore ask, again, that you intervene to end any plans to sign this player, for the good of the club, and so as to not mar the start of this exciting new era for us.”
Rangers FC has not yet publicly commented on the controversy.
