Maccabi Haifa’s Champions League qualifying match against Hamrun Spartans of Malta was disrupted by clashes between fans on Tuesday after Maltese supporters chanted “Palestine, Palestine”.
The match at the Centenary Stadium in Ta’ Qali in Malta had to be halted for 30 minutes as Maccabi fans responded by launching flares onto the pitch, causing smoke and fire.
Maltese police said they arrested five Israeli supporters and found some fans smuggling flares in their underwear. Two of them were expected to be charged on Wednesday.
UEFA said it was still gathering the official reports from the match and could impose sanctions on both clubs for failing to control their fans.
This is not the first time that soccer fans have expressed their solidarity with Palestine in the face of Israeli violations.
The World Cup 2022 in Qatar has also seen some tension involving Israelis. A lot of football fans have protested against the presence of Israeli journalists and tourists in the country.
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