Tensions in Poland remain high following a provocative banner displayed by Maccabi Haifa soccer fans during last week’s UEFA Conference League playoff match against Rakow, reading “Murderers since 1939.”
The backlash intensified on Sunday when Rakow supporters unfurled a counter-banner during a league game between Radomiak and Jagiellonia Białystok, reading, “Israel murders Palestinians, Poles saved Jews during World War II.”
The initial Maccabi Haifa banner sparked outrage in Poland, drawing condemnation from ministers and politicians, while Rakow’s earlier display during the first leg—“Israel murders and the world is silent”—prompted both clubs to face UEFA charges for “inappropriate messaging at a sporting event.”
Maccabi Haifa owner Yaakov Shahar, of Polish descent, issued an apology in an interview with the Polish site Gol, expressing dismay. “I really didn’t like that banner. All I can say is I’m sorry. I’m very angry about what happened in the stands. My father was born in Poland and I saw that banner with my own eyes.
“I know why it hurt them so much. We’re working with the Israel Football Association to punish them. Because of this, the club could be in trouble and I don’t want that to happen.”
Wisła Kraków president Jarosław Krawczyk joined the criticism on Friday, posting on X that Israeli teams should be barred from European tournaments. “It’s clear that yesterday’s shameful stand incident wouldn’t have happened if global football authorities had decisively excluded this country from international competitions earlier.
“The number of civilian casualties in Gaza is reason enough to ban a nation that boasts of its advanced technology and military might,” he wrote, with his statement getting widely cited in Polish media.
At the Referees Association’s season-opening conference last night, Israel Football Association Chairman Shino Zuaretz addressed the fallout. “This is a complex time when our truth as a people and nation struggles to be heard, and some choose to believe the other side.
“We’re making tremendous efforts, alongside top government officials, to remain part of the game and prevent our enemies from driving us out, with devastating consequences. This often requires us to be smart rather than just right, to exercise restraint and avoid childish provocations that cause us immense harm.”
Zuaretz added: “I understand the anger and the desire to respond, but it only causes greater damage and blurs the line between those who wish us ill and those who, despite many challenges, still stand by us. Scoring own goals has never been a recipe for victory.”