Freed hostage laments Israeli fans being barred from UK soccer game over concerns of pro-Palestinian protests

A British-Israeli woman who was released from Hamas captivity in January is speaking out after being barred from an upcoming soccer game in England due to safety concerns. Emily Damari, a die-hard fan of Maccabi Tel Aviv, said she was "shocked" and "outraged" by the decision to ban her team's fans from attending the match against Aston Villa on November 6.

The team's English opponent announced that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans would not be allowed to attend the game due to concerns about pro-Palestinian protests. Damari said this was a "disgusting decision" that did the opposite of what football is meant to do - bring people together.

She questioned how British society had become so tolerant of antisemitism, and expressed her disappointment at the government's handling of the situation. The British Prime Minister's office has confirmed that he believes the ban was "the wrong decision".

The incident comes as pro-Palestinian protesters have been a common fixture at Maccabi Tel Aviv games this season, and fans of Israeli clubs have faced harassment and violence in other countries. Aston Villa released a statement saying they were "in continuous dialogue" with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities to ensure safety for all supporters.

Maccabi Tel Aviv's upcoming match against Aston Villa is just one of several recent incidents where Israel's sports teams and fans have been targeted due to their nationality. The Israeli Premier Tech cycling team has been excluded from an upcoming race in Italy, and the UEFA Europa League was reportedly moving towards suspending Israel over the war in Gaza.

The incident highlights the growing tensions between pro-Palestinian protesters and those who support Israel, and raises questions about free speech and safety for all fans attending sports events.

OMG this is so whack! I cant even believe they banned Emily from going to a soccer game in england she just got out of hamas captivity and now they're treating her like a suspect? its just not right fam the gov should be handling this situation more carefully, not letting antisemitism run wild in england the pro-palestinian protests are one thing, but banning entire fans from attending a game is literally the opposite of what football is all about bringing ppl together, not driving them apart

This is just so messed up ... I mean, can you imagine being a fan of a team and having your right to be there at the game taken away from you because of where your team's fans are from? It's like, what's next? Are we gonna start banning fans from attending games in Scotland just because they're Scottish? Or from attending games in Turkey just because they're Turkish?

It's not just about Maccabi Tel Aviv or the Israeli Premier Tech cycling team, it's about the fact that there are people out there who don't understand what freedom of speech and assembly mean. I mean, isn't football supposed to be a place where we come together as fans, regardless of our differences? It's so sad to see how easily tolerance can turn into intolerance.

And I'm not sure what the answer is here, but I think it's time for us to have some tough conversations about what it means to be a fan, and what kind of society we want to build. Maybe we need to start asking ourselves, what would happen if the tables were turned? Would we want our own identities and allegiances to be scrutinized in the same way that others' are being scrutinized right now?

It's not just about Emily Damari or Maccabi Tel Aviv, it's about all of us. We need to figure out how to find a balance between celebrating our differences and respecting each other's rights.

I think this is a super worrying trend . One thing that really got me was when Emily Damari said she's "shocked" and "outraged" by the ban. But then I looked it up , and apparently, Aston Villa did say they're in "continuous dialogue" with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local authorities to ensure safety for all supporters... which kinda debunks that "shocking" claim .

I mean, I get why there's tension between pro-Palestinian protesters and Israel fans - it's a super complex issue . But can't we just have open dialogue and understanding instead of resorting to bans? It feels like we're missing out on the whole point of football being about coming together as fans .

And what's really concerning is that this isn't an isolated incident . There are other reports of Israel's sports teams facing harassment and exclusion. This raises some seriously big questions about free speech, safety, and inclusivity

omg can u believe this?! they're banning ppl from watching a soccer game just 'cause of their opinion it's so not right! i mean emily damari is literally a super passionate fan and she has the right to show her support, even if some people don't agree with her team or her views. but what's even more disturbing is that pro-palestinian protests are being seen as a problem in itself shouldn't ppl be able to express their opinions peacefully? and it's sad that british society is already so divided over this issue the british premier's office saying it was the wrong decision is like, yeah we get it! but what can be done to change this?

can't believe what's going on in england ... it seems like antisemitism is being legitimized and tolerated, which is a major problem. i'm all for people expressing their opinions, but this takes it too far. the fact that british society has become so divided is alarming. i hope the pm's office gets its act together and finds a solution to this issue ASAP. safety should be everyone's concern, not just some fans.

omg this is so messed up i mean emily damari sounds like such a cool person but it's so unfair that her team's fans are being banned from the match . isn't football supposed to be about supporting your favorite team, not taking sides? and can we talk about how british society is just so clueless when it comes to antisemitism i mean what's next? banning maccabi tel aviv fans from other games too?!?! this whole thing is just a huge mess

I'm totally blown away by this one ... how can a country that prides itself on being a haven of freedom and inclusivity make decisions like this? It's so frustrating to see pro-Palestinian protesters getting a free pass while Israeli fans are being bullied and banned from attending the game. I mean, come on! Football is supposed to be about coming together as one big community, not dividing us further . The fact that the British PM himself said it was the wrong decision just goes to show we need more leaders who truly value human rights and respect for all individuals .

.. this whole thing is just a big mess . I mean, you gotta wonder how society can be so divided right now. It's like we're more worried about hurting someone's feelings than actually promoting understanding and peace . Emily Damari's got a point when she says football's meant to bring people together, not drive 'em apart . And it's crazy that the British government's just sitting back and letting this happen . It's like they're more concerned with being PC than actually doing what's right for everyone .

I mean, let's be real here - we've got a lot of work to do when it comes to building bridges between different communities . We can't just sit back and expect everything to magically resolve itself . We gotta take action, have tough conversations, and actually listen to each other's perspectives .

It's also worth thinking about the impact this has on people like Emily Damari - fans who are just trying to support their teams without causing any trouble . They shouldn't be penalized for being passionate about something they love . We need to find a way to balance free speech with safety concerns, and figure out how we can do that in a way that works for everyone .

idk why british society is so extra rn . like emily damari was just a fan trying to watch her team play and she gets barred from the game? that's not even antisemitic, it's just fandom . but i guess when you're dealing with a sensitive topic like pro-palestinian protests and antisemitism, things get tricky . what's interesting is that the british PM's office is saying they think the ban was wrong, so maybe there's some hope for change ? but at the same time, i feel bad for emily and all her fellow fans who are just trying to enjoy a game . it's like, can't we all just get along and cheer on our favorite teams without getting caught up in politics? ️‍

I'm so frustrated by this decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from their own game in England! It's like they're punishing the innocent just because some people are using their team as a platform to express pro-Palestinian views . Emily Damari is absolutely right, this kind of thing should never happen - football is supposed to be about bringing people together, not driving them apart .

And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that Aston Villa is worried about "safety concerns" when they're more concerned with avoiding any controversy or backlash? It's like they're trying to create a divide between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian fans . The fact that the British government isn't standing up for what's right here is just gutting .

This incident highlights how far we've fallen as a society when it comes to tolerating hate speech and intolerance. We should be celebrating our diversity, not trying to silence certain groups or punish them for expressing their views . It's time for us to take a hard look at ourselves and ask what we're doing wrong here .

omg can u believe this ?! Maccabi Tel Aviv fan girl Emily Damari got banned from an england soccer game because she's jewish and there were some pro-palestine protests what's next? are they gonna ban people who support israel too? this just shows how divided our society has become and it's getting worse by the day