Norwegian footballer rejects move to Israeli club, refuses offer as 'blood money'

Norwegian footballer Ole Saeter has turned down a transfer offer from Israeli club Maccabi Haifa, citing strong moral objections on Wednesday.

Saeter, the 28-year-old Rosenborg forward, told Norwegian channel TV 2 that he could not accept the deal, despite the financial security it would have brought.

"I don't want any blood money coming into my account. It would be a nightmare," Saeter said of the offer.

He said that the deal could have made him "financially independent", but the Rosenborg member insisted that he could not represent a country whose values and actions he opposed.

"It is a country that I have neither the morals nor the values to represent," he added.

Saeter has made 53 appearances for Rosenborg since 2021, scoring 32 goals and providing 11 assists.

Israel has faced international criticism for its ongoing military offensive in Gaza, launched after an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

Despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire, the conflict has continued, with nearly 41,300 people, mostly women and children, killed and over 95,500 injured, according to local health authorities.