Manor Solomon's goal, Fulham v Leeds (Sport1)
Manor Solomon on the wave in England in recent weeks.
After a troubled start to the season that included an exhausting saga of a loan move from Shakhtar Donetsk, an injury the day after the debut against Liverpool, Solomon is now one of the most exciting players in the kingdom.
The first Israeli to score in three consecutive Premier League games since Ronnie Rosenthal in 1992, who yesterday (Tuesday) scored a fourth consecutive goal, this time in the cup against Leeds in the cup, is highly regarded in the British Isles.
He is gaining fans from among Fulham fans who simply fell in love with him, and among fans of European football in general, and is extorting praise from commentators such as Gary Neville.
"He is our super sub and a game-changing player," wrote the popular Fulham fan blog, Jack and Loz.
"Can't wait to see what else he can do!"
Newcomer Fulham is a good story, and Solomon himself, with the escape from the war in Ukraine, the injury, and the return from it, is also a good story that England likes to love.
Still, it's not every day a player from a small Middle Eastern country makes headlines in the world's big league.
In fact, in recent years, when you talk about the Middle East in the Premier League, you think of one name, who through the pitch managed to make the world look at the region differently: Mohamed Salah.
Fourth goal (!) in a row: Watch Manor Solomon's goal against Leeds in the
Israeli Hazar Cup?
In England they compare and bring up: "Solomon does Messi's things"
England is shocked, Solomon admitted: "I'm glad it's coming so fast, so consistent" The
Arab broadcaster again did not mention Solomon's name, at the BBC they hid his origin
Not everyone was carried away with enthusiasm.
Manor Solomon (Photo: Reuters)
But alongside the warm reactions, on the networks almost every publication concerning Manor Solomon, there are negative reactions from surfers from around the region, which come because of the fact that the star is simply very Israeli.
If it had remained in the scope of online comments, that's one thing.
But the reality of the Arabic language broadcasts of the Premier League matches is different from any imagination.
What is happening in the Premier League broadcasts throughout the Middle East is a parallel reality in which Manor Solomon is not called 'Solomon' or 'Manor', or 'the Israeli winger', as is usually customary.
In reality, the biggest Arab broadcasters ignore Menor and refrain from the protester saying his name, describing him, or overly complimenting the Fulham number 11's performance.
For example, the Omani Khalil Al Belushi, the broadcaster of the news of the Arab world today, who broadcast the game between Fulham and Wolves last Friday, and even got relatively excited about Solomon's goal, but called him the substitute (al Badeel) which in Arabic means "the substitute ".
El Belushi is from Oman, with whom Israel only recently signed an agreement allowing Israeli planes to pass through its airspace, but with several million followers on social networks, he is a real celebrity, and his every word is important.
Every goal he broadcasts is watched, recorded and distributed to networks by hundreds of thousands of people.
And he is not alone.
That's exactly how after Solomon's first goal in England, the second goal against Nottingham Forest, the commentator of the BeIN network, Mohamed Abu Trika, an Egyptian football legend and one of the greatest Arab footballers of all time, begged the broadcaster next to him not to mention Solomon's name.
What a hassle!
What a hassle!
(Don't be tempted! Don't be tempted!) "Don't say! Don't say!".
Abu Trika is one of Israel's biggest critics in regional football.
When he scored for Egypt in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations during Operation Cast Lead.
Reveal a shirt with the inscription: Sympathize with Gaza.
By the way, not long ago Abu Trika, who has a bachelor's and master's degree in philosophy from Cairo University, also spoke out against the pride month that the Premier League organizes every year and finds expression in the captain's films and the players' numbers, in statements that caused a great stir in the Arab world as well.
Beside Belushi and Abu Trika you can find many other examples from around the area.
"And now the ball to the replacement, which is your sigh to the middle, swings the right leg….
Wait, but who won?
There is nothing to say.
Watching a Manor Solomon match broadcast in Fulham uniform in Arabic is a bit of a strange experience, not to mention quite irritating, for the average Israeli viewer.
And that's how it is with broadcasters from Algeria, through Egypt to Qatar and Oman as mentioned.
The reasons for this attitude are clear.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the ongoing situation in Gaza and the territories is a subject that occupies and is very present in the lives of the countries and peoples in the region around us.
It was also present at the last World Cup in Qatar.
As long as the situation is like this, and with recent events, it seems to be only getting worse, there will be no change.
It is important to note that the fact that Solomon is Jewish has no real connection, because a few years ago, when Red Bull Salzburg and Mons Davor starred in the European League, the player, who was one of the biggest stars of the Israeli national team at the time, was also called "the Zionist player", and not by his name.
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The Israeli Hazar?
In England, they compare and bring up: "Solomon does Messi's things"
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He also received similar treatment.
Mons Davor (Photo: GettyImages, RONNY HARTMANN/AFP)
"It's something ideological for us," explains Lavala!
Sport broadcast from one of the top Arab sports networks who asked to remain anonymous.
"We don't have a personal problem with the actor, but we and our viewers have a problem with the situation in Palestine. And as long as there is no change in this situation, it's hard for me to see it changing. As broadcasters, we have a platform and through it we are also obligated to give the viewer what he wants to hear as well as our opinion If there is injustice. This is the way for some of us to contribute to the struggle, as was the case in South Africa (with the boycotts against the apartheid regime)."
"In the end, when he is in England, he represents the country he comes from. And saying his name on the air, for many of our viewers and followers, is a normalization with the situation. And as long as there is an occupation, it is not acceptable," he adds.
Meanwhile, Solomon continues to score and broadcasters in the area are ignored.
But success in football in England has an effect that goes outside the game as well.
What will happen if Solomon continues to score?
And continue to star?
Even then will they continue to ignore him in the area?
What will be the reactions?
What will be the effect?
When Salah starred and scored in bunches in his early seasons at Liverpool, the impact of his goals was massive.
Hate crimes in the UK against Muslims dropped by significant percentages, Liverpool fans jokingly sang about being ready to convert to Islam and the player, who became a superstar, was a kind of bridge between the Western world and the Arab world.
Salah has become a trailblazer and a role model, even here in Israel, for whom many fondly remember that visit to Bloomfield with Basel against Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2013. Already, there are those in Egypt who are wondering whether Salah will shake Solomon's hand when Fulham come to Anfield later this month.
More in Walla!
England stunned, Solomon admitted: "Glad it's coming so fast, so consistent"
To the full article
It has been many, many years since Israel had a real soccer star in a major European league.
Careers like those of Haim Rabivo, Eyal Berkovich and Yossi Benyon are part of an almost imaginary world of football as far as Israeli players are concerned today.
And here, Solomon Manor is there, doing it in a big way, making people excited, or uncomfortably moved at every gate of it.
Last night, after the goal against Leeds, it was already possible to see other tweets as well.
"The Israeli Solomon is an actor and an actor"
"Four days ago on the same road, voila crazy bro"
Solomon put Israel on the map, and represents it in England, in European football - one of the biggest stages in the world today.
This fact also puts on the table the tension in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, including for some of the region's neighbors.
As long as he continues his amazing form, and continues to score, the region's broadcasters will have a problem.
How long will they continue to ignore a player who conquers and cooks week after week in the best league in the world?
And if he does continue, it will be interesting to see Solomon's impact beyond football, and what effect he will have on how Israel will be portrayed in the eyes of football fans in the region.
Maybe this will spark an internal Israeli debate on the issue?
Or will it spark discussion of the conflict in Britain itself?
And perhaps his performances on the lawn of Manor will soften the hearts of the broadcasters and the Arab fans, and he will become a favorite among them as well?
In the meantime, you should not develop expectations, but only wish that he will continue to score.
Exiles are always the cure for everything.
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