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Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government rushed into urgent talks on Friday to overturn a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters attending their Europa League match against Aston Villa after Israel’s government condemned the decision as “shameful.”
Aston Villa, based in Birmingham, said the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) had informed the club that no away fans would be permitted at the November 6 fixture.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, denounced the move on X, calling it a “shameful decision” and urging UK authorities to reverse it.
As criticism grew — including from Starmer, UEFA, and a British police commissioner — pressure mounted on local officials to review the ruling.
Starmer, an avid football fan, described the ban as “wrong.” He stressed, “We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The police must ensure all supporters can enjoy football without fear of violence or intimidation.”
A spokesperson for the prime minister confirmed that discussions were “happening at pace across government and with all relevant bodies” to resolve.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy was due to meet Home Office officials and other stakeholders to address the issue.
UEFA urged both clubs and authorities to “agree on appropriate measures” that would allow Maccabi fans to attend.
Simon Foster, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, called for an “immediate review” by the SAG and police to determine whether the restriction was “appropriate” and “necessary.”
However, several left-wing and Green politicians defended the ban, arguing that Israeli teams should be excluded from international competitions due to the ongoing war in Gaza — similar to the boycott of apartheid-era South Africa.
Aston Villa explained that police had raised “public safety concerns outside the stadium” and doubts about their ability to manage potential protests.
West Midlands Police classified the match as “high risk,” citing intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes during a 2024 Europa League tie between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam. That encounter led to assaults, vandalism, and hate-related offences.
Emily Damari, a British-Israeli and former Hamas hostage, condemned the restriction, saying it “divides rather than unites,” while another fan, Tamir Nahson, described it as a “painful missed opportunity.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s chief executive, Jack Angelides, told the BBC the team had played in countries with strong anti-Israel sentiment without incident, thanks to robust policing.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, the ongoing war has claimed at least 67,967 lives, while Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel killed 1,221 people, mostly civilians, based on official Israeli figures.
