‘Israelis' outraged over UEFA's 'Stop killing children' banner

Roya News

14 hours ago

UEFA has come under fire after displaying a banner reading 'Stop killing children. Stop killing civilians' ahead of Wednesday's Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur at Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy.
The banner, part of a UEFA Foundation for Children initiative, was carried by nine children who are refugees in Italy from conflict zones including Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Palestine, and Ukraine.
UEFA shared the moment on its official social media accounts, writing: 'From the UEFA Super Cup in Udine, the message is loud and clear.'
Although the message did not mention 'Israel', Gaza, or Palestine, many 'Israelis' considered it pro-Palestinian and accused UEFA of antisemitic political messaging.
Some began sharing images of children allegedly killed by Hamas on October 7, claiming UEFA had failed to show similar solidarity with 'Israeli' victims.
'These are Liel and Yanai, 12-year-old siblings murdered by Hamas on October 7. Your banners were never for them,' one user wrote.
These are Liel and Yanai, 12-year-old siblings murdered by Hamas on October 7.
Your banners were never for them. pic.twitter.com/BVrakynfg0
— נועה מגיד | Noa magid (@NoaMagid) August 14, 2025
Another commented, 'Didn't see you campaigning for these children or their mother,' sharing an image of 'Israeli' captive Shiri Bibas and her two children, who, according to Hamas, were killed early in the war by an 'Israeli' airstrike on the location where they were being held in Gaza.
Didn't see you campaigning for these children or their mother. pic.twitter.com/uLcvyRQDJD
— Fusilier (@firstfusilier) August 14, 2025
On the other hand, many responded to the banner with anger, saying the message was weak since it failed to mention 'Israel' or call it out as the perpetrator of genocide.
Say the name, it is Israel.
— Mesut Öcal (@Mesut___Ocal) August 13, 2025
The banner came just days after UEFA was criticized for a separate incident where the organization had posted a tribute to Suleiman Al-Obeid, a former Palestinian footballer killed in Gaza, calling him the 'Palestinian Pelé.' High-profile figures, including Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and former BBC presenter Gary Lineker, challenged UEFA over the tribute, with many of thousands of comments questioning why it omitted details about the circumstances of his death.