West Ham United have urged supporters to stop singing an offensive anti-Palestine chant about new Israeli signing Manor Solomon ahead of their first home game of the season. The club released a statement appealing to fans to refrain from the chant before Saturday's match against Charlton Athletic.
Solomon, an Israeli international winger, completed a £5million transfer to West Ham from Tottenham Hotspur this summer. The 25-year-old made an instant impact on the pitch, scoring on his debut during a victory against Burnley on Sunday in the opening match of the EFL Championship season.
However, during the away fixture at Burnley, a section of visiting West Ham supporters was heard singing a chant targeting the ongoing Israel-Gaza war. The lyrics contained the line, "Manor Solomon is on my mind and he hates Palestine," set to the tune of the 1963 hit song "Do Wah Diddy Diddy," which was made globally famous by British band Manfred Mann.
The incident marks the second time the chant has surfaced in English football. Some Leeds United supporters sang the identical chant while Solomon was on loan at the West Yorkshire club during the 2024-25 campaign.
Club statement and police response
The chant does not meet the threshold set by the Metropolitan Police for tragedy chanting, and the Football Association is unlikely to take formal disciplinary action. Despite this, West Ham acted proactively to address the behavior of their travelling fans ahead of their return to home turf.
In a formal statement, West Ham condemned the chant and called on supporters to maintain an inclusive environment. "The Club is aware of an offensive and divisive chant, containing an anti-Palestine message, being sung by a section of away supporters during our opening EFL Championship match at Burnley on Sunday afternoon," the statement read.
West Ham emphasized that all fans should feel welcome at matches regardless of their background. "Regardless of their background every supporter within our diverse fanbase should also be free to enjoy watching their team play football without fear, discrimination or abuse," the club stated. "And we remain committed to ensuring that everyone feels safe, respected and included."
While acknowledging traditional matchday culture, West Ham insisted that chanting must not cause offense or divide supporters. "We understand that singing and chanting is a traditional and deeply-embedded part of the matchday experience," the club said. "We encourage our supporters to sing loud and proud about their football club and the players wearing the claret and blue shirt - but never in a way that creates division or causes offence among fellow fans."
Equality values and player background
The East London club reaffirmed its core values, pointing out that football has the power to bring communities together. "Equality, equity, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of the club and we believe in the power of football to unite and bring people together," West Ham declared.
The statement continued: "We expect those who represent the Club - be that players, staff, officials or supporters - to share those values and ensure that, regardless of individual backgrounds or beliefs, we are as our name says: United. Let's make sure our support is something to be proud of, and the envy of all who face us."
Solomon has represented Israel on 49 occasions since making his senior international debut in 2018. Like most Israeli citizens, the winger completed mandatory military national service in the Israeli Defence Forces.
The player has also previously shared posts on his social media accounts that appeared to condone the ongoing conflict in Gaza, drawing attention to his political background following his move to London.
West Ham host South London rivals Charlton Athletic on Saturday, where club officials hope supporters will heed the warning and focus solely on backing the team.
