In the midst of a particularly sensitive week for Israelis and Jews worldwide, two WWE wrestlers – Sami Zayn and CM Punk – entered the ring wearing outfits styled after the colors and design of the Palestinian Liberation Organization flag. The decision, which was pre-approved by WWE management, drew a wave of backlash from fans, especially in Israel, who viewed it as an act of complete disregard.
Oren Treitman, from the Closeline group that closely follows the wrestling scene in Israel and abroad, told Israel Hayom after the event: "There's a deep sense of disgust. It's unbelievable that WWE allowed them to wear such controversial gear in the same week a couple was murdered at the Israeli Embassy in Washington by a fanatic, and while an American influencer is using his platform to call for the killing of Zionists. They let those two wrestlers go on stage dressed in support of that same message of extreme hatred and racism. It's a disgrace."
Treitman added that, unlike previous incidents, this time there was significant pushback from fans: "What's encouraging is that for the first time we're seeing a substantial portion of the audience respond accordingly and condemn their actions – the fact that they're pushing an antisemitic agenda and that fans are fed up with them exploiting this platform. WWE is giving them a free pass without any consequences." According to him, the prevailing feeling within the Israeli wrestling fan community is that "WWE has decided it doesn't care about Jews, backing decisions like this one."
Several weeks ago, Israel Hayom reached out to senior WWE officials over antisemitic activity by Sami Zayn on social media. The posts he shared – which included harsh anti-Israel rhetoric and anti-Zionist imagery – caused an uproar among Jewish fans. Following the official inquiry, Zayn removed the posts. But now, members of the Israeli wrestling community say it appears that WWE leadership has once again chosen to turn a blind eye and allow Zayn and CM Punk to continue promoting extremist political messages – this time from inside the ring.
