Zionism

UK police ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from Europa League match at Aston Villa over safety concerns

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Maccabi supporters wave yellow flags next to Israeli flags during the UEFA Europa League, League phase – Matchday 4, football match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Johan-Cruijff stadium, in Amsterdam on November 7, 2024. [Robin van Lonkhuijsen / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT/ Getty Images]

Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv will not be permitted to attend next month’s UEFA Europa League match at Aston Villa after West Midlands Police classified the fixture as high risk due to security concerns and previous incidents of violence involving the Israeli club’s supporters.

Aston Villa confirmed that Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which issues match-day safety certificates, had instructed the club that “no away fans will be permitted” when the sides meet at Villa Park on 6 November. “The safety of supporters attending the match and of local residents is at the forefront of any decision,” Villa said.

Police said the measure would “help mitigate risks to public safety”, citing “current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate-crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.”

The ban follows serious unrest during that fixture, when Dutch police reported that Maccabi fans tore down and burned a Palestinian flag, vandalised vehicles, and shouted anti-Palestinian slogans before the match. Dozens were injured in the ensuing confrontations, and 62 people were arrested.

While such bans are not unusual in European football, the decision has provoked fierce political debate in Britain. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “the wrong decision”, saying: “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.”

READ: AIPAC’s brand turns toxic as US lawmaker returns pro-Israel lobby donations

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the ruling a “national disgrace” and urged Starmer to intervene, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denounced it as “shameful” and demanded the UK reverse what he called a “coward decision.”

Bans on away supporters have become an increasingly common tool to manage high-risk fixtures in Europe. Last season, French authorities prohibited Ajax Amsterdam fans from travelling to Marseille, while Italy’s interior ministry blocked ticket sales to Eintracht Frankfurt supporters before their Champions League clash with Napoli—both on grounds of public safety.

UEFA said in a statement that local authorities are responsible for such decisions, which are based on “thorough risk assessments that vary from match to match.”

The restriction on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, however, has been framed by Israeli officials and senior British politicians as evidence of anti-Semitism, despite the police justification focusing on documented violence and disorder. The move comes amid heightened tensions over Israel’s continuing genocide in Gaza, which has fuelled protests and counter-demonstrations across Europe.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign said that instead of lifting the ban, the match itself should be cancelled, arguing that “Israeli football teams shouldn’t play in international tournaments whilst Israel commits genocide and apartheid.”

For now, West Midlands Police insist their stance remains purely precautionary. “We remain steadfast in our support of all affected communities,” the force said, “and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”

Senior government officials are set to meet today in an attempt to reverse the ban.

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Continue ReadingUK police ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from Europa League match at Aston Villa over safety concerns

Hamas calls for international probe into torture of Palestinians returned by Israel

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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as part of the ceasefire and prisoner-hostage exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas, transports the bodies of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel in Gaza to Nasser Hospital, where families identify their deceased relatives, on October 16, 2025, in Khan Yunis, Gaza. [Abdallah F.s. Alattar – Anadolu Agency]

The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, has called for an urgent international investigation into crimes committed by Israel against Palestinians whose bodies were handed over to Gaza under the ongoing ceasefire agreement.

In a statement on Thursday, Hamas said the bodies bore clear signs of torture, abuse, and field executions, accusing the Israeli army of “criminal and fascist conduct” and “moral and humanitarian collapse.”

“The horrific scenes on the bodies of the martyrs returned by the occupation — the signs of torture, abuse, and field executions — clearly reveal the criminal nature of the occupation army,” the statement read.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the bodies of 120 Palestinians were delivered by Israel as part of the prisoner exchange deal that took effect last Friday.

Munir al-Barsh, the ministry’s director general, said many of the bodies showed signs of burns, beatings, handcuffing, and blindfolding, suggesting that some of the victims were tortured before being killed.

The ministry said the bodies were returned without identification, forcing medical teams to rely on basic and manual methods to determine their identities. To assist families searching for missing relatives, the ministry published an online portal containing carefully selected images that, it said, “respect the dignity of the deceased and do not violate their privacy.”

Hamas official: Disarming resistance now would cause widespread chaos in Gaza

Hamas condemned the reported acts, saying that “the occupation does not distinguish between the living and the dead among our people,” and described the killings as “a heinous crime amounting to genocide.”

The movement urged international human rights organisations, the United Nations, and the UN Human Rights Council to “document these crimes, open an urgent and comprehensive investigation, and bring the occupation leaders to justice.”

Before the ceasefire came into effect, Israel was holding 735 Palestinian bodies in what are known as the “cemeteries of numbers”, according to the Palestinian National Campaign to Recover the Bodies of Martyrs and Uncover the Fate of the Missing, a non-governmental organisation.

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Continue ReadingHamas calls for international probe into torture of Palestinians returned by Israel

RSF calls on Israel to release 16 Palestinian journalists immediately

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Israeli and international journalists protest in solidarity with journalists from Gaza and against their targeted attacks by the Israeli military at ”Beit Ha’Itonei” (The Journalists’ House) in Tel Aviv, Israel, on August 13, 2025. [Yahel Gazit/NurPhoto/Getty Images]

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has urged Israel to release 16 Palestinian journalists who were, according to the organisation, arbitrarily arrested during the past two years in the Gaza Strip.

RSF stated that Israel released only three of them as part of the recent ceasefire agreement.

The organisation explained that the three journalists who were freed — Journalists Alaa al-Sarraj, Emad Zakaria Badr al-Ifranj, and Shady Abu Sedo — were among 1,968 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel on 13 October as part of the first stage of a hostage and prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

RSF confirmed that 16 other journalists, who were arrested in Gaza and the West Bank over the last two years, remain in detention. It stressed the need for their immediate and unconditional release.

Martin Roux, Head of the RSF Crisis Desk, said that both the journalists who were released and those still detained “should ever have been illegally abducted by Israeli forces.”

He also condemned what he described as “the inhuman and degrading treatment” of these news professionals by Israeli prison authorities.

He added that such treatment could amount to torture if proven.

READ: Israeli court extends detention of Gaza hospital director Hussam Abu Safiya for 6 months

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Continue ReadingRSF calls on Israel to release 16 Palestinian journalists immediately

Hague Initiative affirms support for ICC and victims of Gaza genocide

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A general view of the International Criminal Court (ICC) building in The Hague, Netherlands on April 30, 2024 [Selman Aksünger/Anadolu Agency]

The Hague Initiative, an independent human rights organisation based in the Netherlands have issued an international call for lawyers and legal professionals to join in a collective global effort to defend the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In a statement issued on Thursday, the group declared its full support for justice for the victims of genocide in Palestine and called for lawyers and legal professionals to join a vigil in front of the ICC in The Hague on Friday 24 October. The statement said those who were unable to attend the gathering in The Hague should hold parallel gatherings before their courts and bar associations in their respective countries.

The Hague Initiative declared full support for justice for the victims of genocide in Palestine and unwavering endorsement of the International Criminal Court (ICC). “We refuse to remain silent in the face of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank;” the statement read.

They further called for: the removal of all obstacles and threats so that the ICC would be enabled to carry out its mandate freely and without any political interference; an immediate end to all sanctions imposed on the Court or its Prosecutor; the issuance of arrest warrants for all political and military officials responsible for committing war crimes in Palestine; and the unhindered and unconditional delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

READ: Returned Palestinian bodies show signs of torture and execution as Western media silence persists

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingHague Initiative affirms support for ICC and victims of Gaza genocide

UK ends surveillance flights above Gaza following ceasefire deal

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F-35B aircrafts land at Akrotiri Royal Air Forces base near coastal city of Limassol in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. [Photo credit should read PETROS KARADJIAS/AFP via Getty Images]

The UK has ended surveillance flights above the Gaza Strip following the signing of a ceasefire agreement, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced Thursday, Anadolu reports.

It said British Shadow R1 reconnaissance aircraft based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus had conducted more than 500 missions above Gaza since December 2023.

The operations, the MoD said, were “tasked solely to locate hostages” taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.

The final flight was Oct. 10, three days before the peace deal was formally signed, marking the end of the UK’s aerial intelligence operations in the region.

Defense Secretary John Healey said he was “proud” of the UK’s role in “supporting the safe return of the hostages,” and that “the safe return of all hostages, along with the immediate restoration of aid, are critical first steps in efforts to securing a lasting peace.”

READ: UK, Egypt, Palestine push for private investment in Gaza reconstruction

The flights have drawn criticism from pro-Palestinian activists, who argued that intelligence collected by British aircraft could have been used by Israel in military operations that have killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, The National publication reported.

Scottish Greens Member of Scottish Parliament Patrick Harvie said the flights showed the UK’s “active participation in, and enabling of, genocide.”

He added that those involved “cannot claim to be unaware of the atrocities that Palestinians have been subjected to.”

The MoD maintained that the aircraft were “always unarmed” and played no combat role, emphasizing that information shared with Israeli authorities was “strictly limited to hostage rescue.”

While surveillance operations have ended, the UK continues to export weapons to Israel. According to a Channel 4 analysis, British arms exports to Israel have reached a “record high” in recent months, with more than 300 export licenses currently in place.

Rights groups have accused London of “turning a blind eye” to Israel’s actions in Gaza, though ministers have rejected the claims.

The phased ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas last week, based on a plan presented by US President Donald Trump. Phase one included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it largely uninhabitable.

READ: Arab League criticises UK Conservative leader over remarks on Gaza

Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Continue ReadingUK ends surveillance flights above Gaza following ceasefire deal