Maccabi Tel Aviv waived their allocation to away tickets at the upcoming UEFA Europa League match against Aston Villa in Birmingham, UK, the club announced on Monday evening.
"The safety and security of our fans is our top priority. We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to playing again in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future," the club stated.
"These hateful lies have created a toxic atmosphere that raises real concerns for the safety of fans seeking to attend the game. Insulting rhetoric and the peddling of half-truths are never healthy, but in this case they are particularly concerning, not just for Maccabi Tel Aviv or the world of football, but for society as a whole and its fundamental values," the club clarified, explaining why it decided to waive the ticket allocations.
The club clarified that it has "a long tradition of bringing hearts together," and are "pioneers in nurturing talent from all over the world, regardless of race or religion," with a squad made up of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish players, and a fan base that "also crosses borders of origin and religion."
"It is clear that there are well-entrenched groups that seek to discredit the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan base...the latest example is that of elements who were quick to attribute the Tel Aviv police's decision to cancel yesterday's derby game to our fans," the club stated, while denying that there is any basis to these accusations.
"We are also concerned about the intervention of divisive elements who do not represent the values of our club. We condemn any despicable views that have no place in the world of football," the club added.
Club thanks British government for efforts to review West Midlands Police decision
The club mentioned that they appreciated the efforts of the British government to review the decision taken by West Midlands Police to ban fans from attending, as well as messages of support they received from the wider football community.