Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Saturday spoke with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and called for a revocation of the ban imposed on fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending their team’s upcoming game against Aston Villa.
“We discussed the Trump Plan, its implementation and the situation in Gaza. I raised the issue of the dead hostages and Hamas’s violation of the agreement in this regard. I also described Hamas’s efforts to consolidate its control over Gaza, as well as its mass and public executions without trial,” Sa’ar wrote in a statement following the conversation with Cooper.
“I also raised the need to take practical measures against the use of the slogan ‘From the river to the sea – Palestine will be free’ in public spaces in the UK. This follows PM Starmer’s statement last week that the phrase constitutes an antisemitic expression. I added that the slogan is, in fact, a call for the elimination of Israel. A line must be drawn between freedom of expression and hate speech. I said that PM Starmer’s remarks should be part of a historic turning point in the UK’s fight against antisemitism. I added that legislation is needed to enforce a ban on the use of this slogan, as several federal states in Germany have already done,” he added.
“We also discussed the outrageous ban imposed by Birmingham police preventing Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the Europe League match against Aston Villa at Villa Park on November 6th. I expressed our clear and unequivocal expectation that this disgraceful decision be revoked and that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans be allowed to attend the game. The Foreign Secretary expressed the British government’s reservation about the decision and said that staff work, involving the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport would resume on Monday to find an appropriate solution.”
West Midlands Police announced late last week it would ban supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending their team’s Europa League match against Aston Villa in Birmingham on November 6.
The decision, made by the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG), follows what was described as a “high risk” classification based on previous incidents, including antisemitic attacks on Israeli fans in Amsterdam during a match against Ajax last year.
The decision was met with widespread criticism, including by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said, “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch called the decision a “national disgrace” and challenged Starmer to “guarantee that Jewish fans can walk into any football stadium in this country.” She added, “If not, it sends a horrendous and shameful message: there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go.”
On Friday, a spokesman for the British government said that the government is “working with policing and other partners” to ensure a soccer game between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv can go ahead next month “with all fans present”.
“No one should be stopped from watching a football game simply because of who they are,” the spokesperson said, as quoted by Sky News.
“The government is working with policing and other partners to do everything in our power to ensure this game can safely go ahead, with all fans present. We are exploring what additional resources and support are required, so all fans can attend.”
In a post on X, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood wrote that the government is doing “everything in our power to ensure all fans can safely attend the game.”