Eklat in the ranks: outrage in Poland about the banner of Haifa fans

A banner of Israeli football fans at a European Cup game caused outrage in Poland. President Karol Nawrocki criticized the transparent with the inscription “Murderer since 1939” that Maccabi Haifa supporters unroll against Raków Częstochowa at the qualification secondary for the UEFA Conference League. The game had been held in the Hungarian debrecen due to the Middle East conflict.

“The scandalous banner of the fans of Maccabi Haifa insults the memory of the Polish citizens who died in the Second World War, including three million Jews. A stupidity that is not justified with no words,” Nawrocki also wrote several ministers and the government spokesman and demanded a clear response from the European Football Union. The UEFA initiated disciplinary proceedings against both clubs because of a message inappropriate for a sporting event.

Israeli message condemned fan behavior

The Israeli embassy in Warsaw condemned the “hideous behavior of some fans” and emphasized that there was no space for such words and deeds in the stadium or elsewhere. “These shameful incidents do not reflect the attitude of the majority of Israeli fans,” wrote the representation to X.

The President of the Polish Football Association, Cezary Kulesza, spoke of “provocations and falsification of history”. It was rated particularly scandalous that Poland should be held responsible for the crimes of Nazi Germany.

Polish and Israeli media connected the incident in Debrecen to the first leg when Raków fans therefore unrolled a banner with the inscription “Israel, and the world was silent”. The Israeli military’s approach in the Gaza Strip was criticized. The banner may now have been a reaction to the Polish transparent.

Foreign Minister also reacts

Poland Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski welcomed the reaction of the Israeli embassy. At the same time, he hoped, wrote Sikorski on X that Israeli young people learned that it was Nazi Germany, who marched in in Poland in 1939 and began to murder their citizens of all religions and nationalities. At the same time, he announces that he would impose entry bans against the fans who unrolled the banner if Hungary helps to identify them.

The Second World War began on September 1, 1939 with the German attack on Poland. The result was six years of occupation and tyranny as well as millions of fatalities. More than five million people died in Poland – three million of them Polish Jews.