- The Premier League and EFL have decided to ban flags from stadiums
- Players, staff and officials wear black armbands during weekend matches
- A moment of silence will also be observed in each divisional stadium
The Premier League and EFL have banned all Israeli or Palestinian flags from matches this weekend in a bid to prevent potential incidents.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas has led to mixed reactions in Britain and both football organizations want to prevent any problems from spreading in the stadiums.
Their decision comes just days after the English Football Association banned the flags from being displayed at Wembley during England’s win against Italy on Monday night.
Players, staff and officials will instead wear black armbands and a moment of silence will be held at each ground to remember the victims of the ongoing conflict.
The Premier League consulted safety officials and clubs before making their decision that supporters will not be allowed to carry any of the listed flags into the grounds during matches.
The Premier League and EFL have banned all Israeli or Palestinian flags from matches this weekend
The Premier League has decided to stop any potential conflict during matches
Supporters are not allowed to bring flags representing Palestine or Israel during matches
England and Italian players observed a period of silence before kick-off earlier this week, but there were boos from some parts of Wembley during the commemoration.
An Israeli flag was later spotted in the crowd at the home of English football despite the police ban, with stewards approaching the supporter to remove it.
Protests have been held in parts of the country in support of Israel and Palestine, and there has been action to ban flags to prevent conflict during matches.
The EFL – which administers the Championship, League One and League Two – followed the Premier League’s decision.
Liverpool host Everton in the Merseyside derby for the first Premier League match of the weekend
Some players have begun to express concern about the violence in Israel and Gaza, with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah releasing a video calling on world leaders to come together to ‘prevent further carnage’.
The Egyptian’s powerful social media message comes at a time when other players in European football have been banned for their social media activities in relation to the conflict.
Former Everton and Aston Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi has been suspended by Bundesliga side Mainz after posting a now-deleted pro-Palestine update on Instagram.
Meanwhile, Tottenham star Manor Solomon has not been sanctioned after claiming Hamas ‘blames Israel for killing its own people’ after an explosion at a hospital in Gaza left hundreds dead.