LONDON

A bitter dispute has erupted in British politics over whether fans of the Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv should be allowed to attend its Europa League match in Birmingham.

Zarah Sultana, an independent lawmaker who was elected as a Labour MP but is now setting up a new left-wing party with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, condemned the club’s supporters, linking their behavior to wider political issues in Israel.

Row over Maccabi Tel Aviv fans sparks heated debate in UK Parliament ⤵️

🎙️ Lawmaker links “racist fan hooliganism” to “Israeli militarism,” saying some fans are “active or former soldiers” involved in Gaza war and should be investigated for war crimes

⚖️ Officials clarify the… pic.twitter.com/2aTahnEdUj

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During a heated session Monday at the House of Commons, she said: “Maccabi Tel Aviv’s racist fan hooliganism cannot be separated from Israeli militarism. Many of these fans are active or former soldiers who have a part in Israel’s genocide in Gaza," she said.

"They should be investigated for war crimes the moment they set foot onto British soil, not welcomed into our stadia. And let’s be clear: this Labour government is no innocent bystander. It has armed Israel’s genocide, it has provided diplomatic cover, and it shamefully denied that genocide is even taking place," she added.

Sultana’s comments were sharply criticized by UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who said such rhetoric was unhelpful to the people of Birmingham.

She warned that conflating the actions of a small group of fans with an entire community was dangerous.

“When it comes to the conflation that she makes between all of the Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters and the actions of the Israeli government, that is precisely…blaming, in many cases, British citizens who happen to support Maccabi Tel Aviv for actions that are taking place in the Middle East. Conflating being Jewish and Israeli, I have to say, I’m afraid is itself antisemitism.”

'It is absolutely not about banning Jewish or any other people’

Corbyn sought to separate the behavior of the fans from broader issues. He told the Commons: “The authorities in Birmingham took account of the behavior of Maccabi fans on many other occasions and many other places, decided it was unsafe for the match to be played in Birmingham. It is absolutely not about banning Jewish or any other people from going to the match or going to Birmingham.”

"Can we separate the two issues, about the behavior of a group of fans from the wider question where everybody -- Jewish, Muslim or anything else -- must be safe to walk the streets of this country?”

Nandy said she agreed with Corbyn’s principle but suggested that some of his new colleagues may not share it. She implied that certain campaigners were supporting protests that could intimidate Jewish people.

Police had reportedly taken into account past incidents involving Maccabi fans, including a match in Amsterdam last year where “a small element caused the most appalling disorder,” Nandy noted.

Hooliganism

Ayoub Khan, an independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, the constituency hosting the match, supported the exclusion of Maccabi fans due to their record of hooliganism.

“I know the situation on the ground, and I think there has been a deliberate, disingenuous move by many…to conflate matters of policing with those of religion,” he said.

Khan added that Jewish community leaders had backed banning the fans, citing their history of violent and racist behavior. He referenced chants including “F… all the Arabs,” “We will rape their daughters,” and “There are no schools in Gaza because there are no children left in Gaza.”

“It is hooligans who are not welcome,” he added.

In response, Nandy said: “It is entirely disingenuous to say that you respect cohesion and inclusion when you’re seeking to divide and exclude.”

Nandy has said resources should not determine whether Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters can attend next month’s Europa League match against Aston Villa in Birmingham.

The city’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) ruled last week that away fans would be barred from the Nov. 6 match on safety grounds.

But Nandy called the decision “wrong,” saying ministers were working with West Midlands Police and the Birmingham City Council to ensure the game could go ahead safely for both sets of fans.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer also called the ban “the wrong decision,” saying: “We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters have been linked to violence in several European cities.

Amsterdam banned the club last year after fans “rampaged through the city” before and after a Europa League game against Ajax.

In Israel, their derby with Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled this week after “public disorder and violent riots.”