Maccabi Haifa’s soccer fans of Israel have displayed a track with the words “killers since 1939” in a match against Poland’s Rakow Czestochowa. The episode was recorded on Thursday (14) at Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary, causing indignation in Poland.
Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany in World War II (1939-1945). The country’s Jewish population of 3.2 million was the largest in Europe at the beginning of the war. Almost all were killed, many of them in German Nazi extermination camps, and another 3 million non -Jewish citizens also died during the occupation.
Historical disputes on World War II and the Holocaust have already damaged the relations between Poland and Israel in the past.
Research has pointed to the complicity of some Polish in the murder of Jews by Nazi Germany, but many Poles reject these studies, saying they are an attempt to dishonor a country that suffered immensely during the war.
The track “killers since 1939” was prominently displayed in a row of maccabi haifle fans during its match of Conference League – European third lineup tournament, below Champions League and Europe League – against Rakow Czestochowa. The duel occurred in Hungary for security reasons.
“The scandalous track displayed by MacCabi Haifa fans insults the memory of Polish citizens-World War II Vitimas, including 3 million Jews,” wrote Polish President Karol Nawrocki, former chief of the country’s National Memory Institute, “stupid no word can justify.”
Polish interior minister Marcin Kierwinski said “antipolonism and scandalous distortion of Polish history by Israeli Hooligans require strong condemnation.”
The embassy of Israel in Warsaw also condemned the track.
“There is no place for such words and actions, nowhere, neither in the stadium nor anywhere else. Never!” Wrote the embassy in the X. “These shameful incidents do not reflect the spirit of most Israeli fans.”
The track, it seems, was made of response to the displayed by the Rakow Czestochowa fans in the first week in Poland. The object referred to the Israel-Hamas war, with the message: “Israel is killing, and the world is silent.”
The UEFA (Union of European Football Associations), a manager of European football, said disciplinary proceedings were opened against both clubs for “conveying an inappropriate message to a sporting event.”
Maccabi Haifa was accused of improper conduct and took the worst also sportively. After a 1-0 win in Poland, the team lost 2-0 in Hungary and was eliminated from the Conference League.
