Mahmoud Jaber

Jaber was born and raised in Tayibe in a family with a strong football tradition.[4][5] His grandfather, Abdullah Jaber, played in multiple positions and was regarded as one of Tayibe’s greatest players; his father, Nabil, also played for Tayibe.[4] His older brother Abdullah became a professional footballer and represented Palestine.[4]

He began his football development in Hapoel Kfar Saba’s youth department, where he played alongside Manor Solomon.[4] He subsequently moved to Maccabi Haifa’s youth academy and attended the Kfar Galim boarding school.[4][5]

Maccabi Haifa sent Jaber on loan to Hapoel Nof HaGalil, then in the National League, where he spent two seasons and developed into an important player.[4] A coach who worked with him described his mobility, energy and ability to win the ball in midfield, as well as improvements in his technique and attacking movement as he gained experience.[2]

After returning to Haifa, Jaber was initially considered for another loan.[4] Injuries to Neta Lavi and uncertainty over Mohammed Abu Fani’s contract created an opening, and he earned a place under coach Barak Bakhar.[4] He scored his first two Israeli Premier League goals against Hapoel Jerusalem.[4] By September 2022, the 22-year-old midfielder had also received a league player-of-the-month award the previous October.[6]

In March 2022, Jaber scored the final goal in Maccabi Haifa’s 3–0 league victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv, finishing from inside the penalty area in the 90th minute.[7] His opportunities remained limited during his early seasons under Bakhar: he was initially fourth in the midfield pecking order and made 13 starts across his first two seasons.[5]

Jaber’s role expanded after Haifa moved him into a dedicated defensive-midfield position, with his technical ability, tackling and fitness becoming important strengths.[5] Teammates called him “the tractor” because of the amount of ground he covered.[5] A torn hamstring sustained against Maccabi Petah Tikva kept him out of matches from January to April.[5] By November 2024, he had made 71 league appearances for Haifa and had recently extended his contract by one year, through 2028, with a reported 20 percent salary increase.[5]

In June 2025, Jaber joined Saint-Étienne for a reported transfer fee of €2 million, signing a three-year contract with an option for a further season.[1] He scored in his first league appearance for the French club, a 4–0 victory over Rodez in August 2025.[8] In that match, he completed 62 of 67 passes, made three key passes and three tackles, and completed both of his long-ball attempts.[8] Coach Érik Horneland praised his energy, passion and determination to prove himself.[8]

Jaber made his senior Israel debut in the starting lineup against Iceland in the Nations League in June 2022.[2] By September of that year, he had appeared three times for the national team.[9] He subsequently became a regular presence in the side and had accumulated 12 international appearances by June 2025.[5][1]

He appeared in Israel’s 4–1 Nations League defeat to Italy in Udine in October 2024.[10] The following month, he covered 12.177 kilometers against France and 11.575 kilometers against Belgium.[3] Against Belgium, all nine of his attempted tackles were successful.[3]

Jaber’s Maccabi Haifa career included two league titles, the Toto Cup and two Super Cups.[1] He also played for the club in the group stages of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.[1]

By 2023, Jaber and fellow Arab Israeli teammate Dia Saba were described as two of Maccabi Haifa’s biggest stars.[11] Their prominence formed part of a club environment whose home support included Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druze and Circassians.[11] Jaber’s national-team debut also attracted a substantial gathering at his family home and supporters watching in Tayibe’s cafés.[2]

In September 2022, police took Jaber into custody following a parking-permit dispute outside Haifa’s Sammy Ofer stadium, where he had arrived by car while injured and not included in the match squad.[6][9] Police alleged that he refused to provide identification and obstructed traffic or police work; Maccabi Haifa said attempts by Jaber and club personnel to identify him as a player were ignored.[6][9] Fans tried to intervene as he was placed in a police car, shouting, “Let him go. That’s Mahmoud Jaber!”[9] He was released after being identified and described the incident as “a misunderstanding.”[6][9]

After the October 7, 2023 attacks, Jaber posted that he was saddened to have his citizenship and loyalty questioned.[5] In a 2024 interview, he said he had grown up studying alongside Jewish classmates and had never felt excluded, describing playing for Israel as “an honor for any player.”[5]