Amir Haskel
Amir HaskelAvshalom Sassoni/Flash90

Israeli soccer stars of Ethiopian descent came out against Amir Haskel, one of the leaders of the anti-Netanyahu protests, after footage released last week showed Haskel directing a racially charged rant at Ethiopian-Israeli police officers.

The footage revealed two incidents in which Haskel, a former Israeli Air Force general, singled out cops of Ethiopian descent and shouted at them: "I brought your parents here from Ethiopia, aren’t you ashamed of yourself?"

The comments drew sharp criticism across the political aisle, with Ethiopian-Israeli government ministers labeling Haskel as "racist and condescending" and as someone who thinks he is the "lord of the land."

This week, leading Israeli soccer stars of Ethiopian descent also came out against Haskel and published photos of themselves holding signs reading: "We immigrated to Israel by the merit of our ancestors, not by the merit of Amir Haskel."

The pictures, which were first uploaded to the Facebook page of the Zionist organization Im Tirtzu, were liked and shared thousands of times on social media.

Among the athletes to come out against Haskel included soccer star Menashe Zalka, the captain of the leading Hapoel Hadera F.C. soccer team who lit an Independence Day torch last year. Zalka is the only professional soccer player to serve in active IDF combat reserve duty.

Omer Lakou, captain of the Israel national under-21 football team, also took aim at Haskel and posted a photo of himself holding the sign.

Solomon Daniel Courtesy
Menashe Zalka Courtesy
Omer Lakou Courtesy