A report from the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom has strongly criticized WWE for the name and scheduling of its upcoming NXT special, ‘Invasion,’ set to air on October 7. The publication described the decision as “extreme insensitivity,” pointing out that the date marks the anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attacks.
The newspaper directly questioned who within WWE was responsible for what it termed a “preposterous decision.” The article stated that the term “Invasion” on such a sensitive date directly recalls the infiltration of Hamas terrorists and the killing of Israelis and Americans, raising significant concerns among Israeli fans.
The ‘Invasion’ special is built around a cross-promotional angle between NXT and TNA. Israel Hayom acknowledged that WWE has used this branding before for its landmark 2001 pay-per-view event involving WCW, but condemned the “obtuseness” of reusing the name on this particular anniversary.
The event at the center of the controversy is scheduled to feature both men’s and women’s Survivor Series-style matches, pitting teams from NXT against TNA. A title-for-title, winner-take-all match between NXT Tag Team Champions DarkState and TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardys has also been announced for the show.
The article from Israel Hayom also noted this was not the first time it had approached WWE management over perceived controversies. The newspaper cited past issues, including social media remarks from Sami Zayn and attire worn by Zayn and CM Punk that featured colors of PLO flags. According to the publication, WWE has “chosen repeatedly to disregard the criticism from the Israeli audience.”
The Hamas attack on Israel occurred on October 7, 2023. On that day, Hamas launched a surprise, large-scale assault involving a barrage of between 3,000 and 5,000 rockets fired from Gaza within 20 minutes, followed by approximately 3,000 militants infiltrating Israel by land, sea, and air at multiple points. This attack coincided with the Jewish holidays of Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret, catching Israel off-guard.