Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will NOT be able to buy tickets to Aston Villa match, Israeli club says

The club has confirmed that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will be prevented from purchasing tickets for next month’s Europa Conference League clash with Aston Villa.

In a lengthy statement, the Israeli club said it could no longer guarantee the safety of its fans, citing ‘interference by separatist figures’, ‘hateful lies’ and ‘provocative rhetoric’ regarding the match.

The match, scheduled for November 6 at Villa Park, had already sparked controversy after the Birmingham Security Advisory Group, backed by West Midlands Police, decided to suspend all fans, citing ‘intelligence and previous incidents’.

Police noted violent clashes and hate crime incidents at the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam last year; During these scenes, five people were hospitalized and 62 people were arrested.

However, the move triggered anger from across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who called the decision ‘the wrong decision’ and insisted: ‘We will not tolerate anti-Semitism on our streets.’

Just hours before Maccabi’s announcement, Culture Minister Lisa Nandy raised hopes the ban could be lifted by promising that the Government would ‘find the resources’ to allow ‘all fans’ to attend.

But the club said it had no choice but to withdraw from its away allocation, warning of a ‘toxic atmosphere’ fueled by lies and dangerous rhetoric.

In its statement tonight, Maccabi claimed that “various established groups” were trying to exploit isolated incidents “for their own social and political purposes” and reiterated that most of its fans “have no business with racism or hooliganism of any kind”.

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans photographed before their UEFA Europa League match against Ajax in Amsterdam last year

‘Our fans regularly travel throughout Europe without incident, and to suggest that the reason our fans are not allowed to travel is because of their behavior is an attempt to distort the truth and excuse the real reasons underlying the decision to ban our fans. “Our fans and the Jewish community know this tactic very well and know very well where it can lead,” the statement said.

‘We are also concerned about the intervention of separatist figures who do not represent the values ​​of our club. We condemn all disgusting views that have no place in football.

‘A toxic atmosphere has been created as a result of hateful lies, which has placed the safety of our fans who wish to attend the game in great doubt. Incendiary rhetoric, trading in half-truths, is never healthy, but the statements that emerged in this particular case were of an extremely alarming variety.

‘Not for the sake of Maccabi Tel Aviv or football, but for the good of society and its core values, perhaps the agendas here should be looked at more closely.

‘The health and safety of our fans is paramount and from the hard lessons learned we have taken the decision to reject any proposed allocation on behalf of away fans and our decision must be understood in that context.

‘We hope conditions will change and we look forward to being able to play in the sporting environment in Birmingham in the near future.’

The statement was issued by the Israeli club hours after Culture Minister Lisa Nandy branded Birmingham MP Ayoub Khan, who led efforts to stop the match, as ‘completely insincere’ in a heated House of Commons debate.

He also promised that the government would find the necessary resources to ensure the Israeli club’s fans could attend the Europa League match in Britain.

Ayoub Khan, independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, who led efforts to stop Maccabi Tel Aviv’s clash with Aston Villa (pictured)

The Prime Minister took to social media on Thursday night to condemn the decision

Mr Khan, an ally of former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, launched a campaign last month. petition about the upcoming match.

The petition called for the game to be canceled altogether, moved to a ‘neutral third country’ or played behind closed doors.

While it was stated that the match was ‘not a normal football match’ due to the ‘ongoing genocide in Gaza’, the fears of Maccabi fans about its ‘record of violence’ were also expressed.

“Their arrival in Aston, a diverse and predominantly Muslim community, poses a real risk of tension and disorder within the community,” said the petition, also signed by Mr Corbyn.

Mr Khan later congratulated the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the match and thanked everyone who supported the petition.

The government is putting pressure on West Midlands Police to overturn its decision to ban supporters of the Israeli club from the match, following widespread outcry.

Ms Nandy told MPs on Monday that the Government continues to work with West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council ‘to support them in considering all the options available and to tell us what resources are needed to manage the risks and ensure fans from both teams can attend safely’.

‘If the assessment is revised, the security advisory group will meet again to discuss options,’ the Culture Minister added.

‘It is not for the Government to assess the risks surrounding this football match.

‘But we are clear that resources will not be the determining factor in whether Maccabi Tel Aviv fans are admitted, and that this fundamental principle that no one in our country should be excluded from participating in public life because of who they are must be upheld.’

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described it as the ‘wrong decision’ and added: ‘We will not tolerate anti-Semitism on our streets.’

The government said it was ‘completely unacceptable’ that the Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv was ‘used as a weapon to incite violence and fear by those who want to divide us’.

The Israeli side announced that they would reject tickets offered to fans for the match to be played at Villa Park, following a political debate over security.

‘The government is working around the clock to defend the fundamental principle that football fans should be able to enjoy the game without fear or fear of violence,’ a spokesman said.

‘We deeply regret that Maccabi Tel Aviv has refused to allocate away fans, but we respect their right to do so.

‘It is absolutely unacceptable that this game has been weaponized by those who want to divide us to incite violence and fear. We will never tolerate antisemitism or extremism on our streets.

‘We will continue to work closely with the police to ensure this game proceeds safely and that Jewish communities in this country receive the safety and security they deserve.’