According to Maccabi Tel Aviv, which had “hard lessons learned,” it had decided to turn down any offer of tickets for the Europa League game against Aston Villa on Monday.
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In a statement posted online, the team stated that “the safety and well-being of our fans is top priority.” In that context, “our decision should be understood.”
The organization added that it has been “working to combat racism” among its “more extreme elements.”
Muslim, Christian, and Jewish players make up our first-team squad, according to the statement. Additionally, our fan base crosses the line between religion and race.
The team’s decision came a day after Israeli police had to cancel a Maccabi game with its rival Tel Aviv team Hapoel before kickoff due to what they termed “public disorder and violent riots.”
The decision by Israeli authorities to halt the game contrasted with criticism from British and Israeli leaders regarding Birmingham City’s decision to outlaw Maccabi supporters from the November 6 game at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England.
Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Saar demanded that the city’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) ban be reversed, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it the “wrong decision.”
The UK government announced on Friday that it was attempting to overthrow local authorities to permit the presence of Israeli fans.
Some UK politicians questioned the government’s role in Birmingham after Israeli police shut down the match between Tel Aviv teams on Sunday.
“Thanks to Keir Starmer and others who attempted to make this about religion!” More evidence is provided in this example. These fans chose violence despite being in the spotlight, injuring police officers, independent MP Ayoub Khan wrote in a post on X.
Labour MP Richard Burgon sided with his government, claiming that the recent developments supported the club’s decision to forbid fans from watching the game.
He said on X, “This news exposes how ridiculous that campaign has been.” “Birmingham residents have a right to be kept safe,” says the statement.
According to West Midlands Police, the match was deemed high risk based on “current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crimes, that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam,” according to a statement released last week.
According to the police force, “we believe this measure will help reduce risks to public safety,” according to their professional judgment.
Numerous arrests were caused by the clashes between pro-Palestinian supporters and Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters last year in Amsterdam.
Following incidents of Israeli fans raping Palestinians and Arabs, assaulting residents, and destroying Palestinian solidarity symbols, the clashes came as a result of the incidents.
Additionally, there were rumored anti-Semitism-related incidents during the clashes, including a private messaging chat that demanded a “Jew hunt.”
According to a report released by UN investigators that stated that Israel is killing Palestinians, legal experts have also expressed concerns about Israeli teams playing in international sporting events.
More than 30 legal experts wrote to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin earlier this month to claim that it was “imperative” to outlaw Israel from competitions.
Source: Aljazeera
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