Yacov Livne, the Israeli Ambassador to Poland, slammed the decision and lodged a complaint with the Polish city.

By The Algemeiner

Two Israeli soccer teams — Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Beer Sheva — that were set to play their European Championship matches in the Polish city of Łódź have been banned by the hosting country, after widespread outrage from Poles.

The Union of European Football Associations previously announced that Israel will not be allowed to host UEFA-sanctioned matches due to the ongoing war against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.

As a result, the Israeli clubs announced on Sunday that their new “home stadiums” would be the Władysław Król Municipal Stadium and the Stadion Widzewa in Łódź.

Soon afterward, two Polish clubs that play at the stadiums released statements distancing themselves from the decision, with many fans expressing antisemitic outrage on social media against Israel and support for the Palestinians.

The Polish city’s Cultural and Sport authority then released a statement saying that no Israeli teams would play at any facilities in Łódz because “the safety of Łódź residents and visitors is the highest priority for the city.”

Yacov Livne, the Israeli Ambassador to Poland, slammed the decision and lodged a complaint with the Polish city.

“One should not give in to such threats. Lodz needs to remain a place of tolerance, not fear,” Livne said in a statement on X/Twitter.

Maccabi Haifa took second place in the Israeli top league, giving it the opportunity to play in the qualifying rounds for the European Conference League, while Hapoen Beer Sheva came third in the Israeli premier league.

One of the Polish clubs based in Łódz has a history of antisemitism.

In 2016, a group of ŁKS Łódz hooligans set fire to “Jewish” effigies and paraded a banner calling for the burning of Jews.

Years earlier in 2013, fans of the same team invited visitors to an indoor tournament to play a game in which they could throw objects at “Jews,” models dressed in uniforms of the club’s rival, Widzew Łódź.

A sign next to the game informed players that for a meager price they would be given “three throws at the Jews.”

Antisemitism is increasingly creeping into Polish politics as well.

Last week a virulently antisemitic member of the Polish parliament who extinguished the candles of a lit Hanukkah menorah with a fire extinguisher won a seat in the European Parliament elections, riding a wave of far-right success across the continent.

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After fans of Glasgow’s Celtic soccer team broke the law and flew Palestinian flags at an August Champions league game against a visiting Israeli team, the Union of European Football Associations found the Celtic team guilty and fined it over its fans’ anti-Israel demonstrations.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has fined Celtic 10,000 euros ($11,200) for its fans’ anti-Israel demonstrations at a Champions League game against Israel’s Hapoel Beersheba in August.

UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary committee found the Scottish champion guilty of a charge of displaying “illicit banners.”

The fans waved Palestinian flags, chanted anti-Israel slogans and held a demonstration outside the stadium. Police intervened when they attempted to assault Israeli fans.

Political banners and statements are prohibited in stadiums at UEFA-organized matches.

Celtic won the Champions League play-off first-leg tie 5-2.

Celtic fans often display Palestinian flags and hold anti-Israel demonstrations at domestic and European matches, though many more were brought for Hapoel Beer Sheva’s visit. UEFA fined Celtic two years ago when fans waved Palestinian flags at a game against Iceland’s KR Reykjavik.

The club’s fans have reportedly collected the funds to pay for the fine.

By: World Israel News Staff
AP contributed to this report.

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After fans of Glasgow’s Celtic soccer team broke the law and flew Palestinian flags at a Champions league game against visiting Israeli team, Hapoel Beersheba, the Union of European Football Associations decided to charge the Celtic team over its fans’ anti-Israel demonstrations.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has charged the Scottish Celtic team over its fans’ anti-Israel demonstrations during a Champions League game against Israel’s Hapoel Beersheba on Wednesday.

The fans waved Palestinian flags, chanted anti-Israel slogans and held a demonstration outside the stadium. Police intervened when they attempted to assault Israeli fans.

UEFA says its Control, Ethics and Disiplinary committee will judge a case of “illicit banners” on September 22. The union’s rules prohibit “gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit any message that is not fit for a sports event, particularly messages that are of a political, ideological, religious, offensive or provocative nature.”

The Scottish team is likely to be fined.

Celtic won the Champions League play-off first-leg tie 5-2, and the return match is slated to be held in Israel on Tuesday.

Glasgow’s Celtic fans often display Palestinian flags at domestic and European matches. UEFA fined Celtic two years ago when fans waved Palestinian flags at a game against Iceland’s KR Reykjavik.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

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