From stadium stardom to manufacturing the internal enemy

Professor Mustafa Kabha discusses the phenomenon of former Israeli football stars transitioning to political analysis in the media, citing statements by Eli Ohana against Mansour Abbas and Eyal Berkovic against Arab Knesset members, warning that sports fame is becoming a tool to fuel incitement and exclusion against minorities.

In his article, Professor Mustafa Kabha discusses the phenomenon of former Israeli football stars moving from the stadiums to the studios of political programs, where they become analysts on issues of war, security, and national relations. The author argues that this phenomenon reflects a decline in the standards of public opinion formation, where fame takes precedence over knowledge and expertise. He cites the cases of Eli Ohana and Eyal Berkovic: in August 2026, Ohana described Mansour Abbas as "anti-Zionist" and claimed that Abbas says in Hebrew what he does not say in Arabic, while in August 2018, Berkovic described Arab Knesset members as "terrorists," "spies," and "Trojan horses." The author concludes that the problem is not the transition of athletes into politics, but the use of their fame to fuel a discourse of incitement and exclusion against minorities, holding media institutions responsible for what they promote.