Israeli Football in Wartime: Displacement, Violence, and Racism

The Israeli football club Hapoel Ironi Kirjat Schmona must play its home matches 150 kilometers south in Netanja due to security risks following cross-border missile fire from Lebanon, sueddeutsche.de reported. Home fixtures in the country’s northernmost city have ceased as the ongoing conflict displaces thousands of residents. “We feel like refugees in our own country,” said Yehiam Cohen, a lifelong Hapoel fan who grew up in Kirjat Schmona, pointing out that their community remains scattered across Israel.

Hezbollah Strikes Force Evacuation of Northern Israel

Following the October 7, 2023, attacks led by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people and resulted in more than 250 abductions, Hezbollah began launching rocket and drone strikes from Lebanon into northern Israel. Kirjat Schmona, home to 23,000 residents, suffered direct hits that damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, public buildings, and roads within days. The Israeli government ordered the evacuation of northern communities, relocating 60,000 citizens into hotels, apartments, and shelters nationwide, sueddeutsche.de reported.

Hapoel Ironi Kirjat Schmona, the 2012 Israeli football champion and 2014 cup winner, saw its 5,000-seat stadium struck by seven rockets. In the immediate aftermath, the club lacked a permanent facility. “In the first six months, our team had to train on a different pitch almost every day,” Cohen said, adding that multiple clubs offered their grounds free of charge. Today, Cohen coordinates carpools and buses from four or five different cities to help supporters travel to Netanja, though matchday attendance often hovers around 200 spectators due to high travel costs and economic strain.

Fan Activism and Conflict at Hapoel Be’er Scheva

Yaron Alfi, a long-serving ultra of Hapoel Be’er Scheva, noted that the raw shock of the October attacks fueled volatile reactions. Since then, fan groups have shifted toward memorial initiatives, organizing remembrance tournaments, displaying banners featuring slain supporters, and painting commemorative murals. Alfi and other active supporters traveled to Berlin in early September to meet with German fan projects, discussing strategies to combat racism and foster solidarity across differing communities.

Rising Stadium Racism and the Stance of Beitar Jerusalem

Research from the Israeli anti-discrimination network Kick It Out indicates that anti-Arab racism in Israeli football stadiums reached unprecedented levels following October 7. The traditional club Beitar Jerusalem, which has never signed an Arab player, has seen supporters repeatedly celebrate hardline figures such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, sueddeutsche.de reported. Former Kick It Out director Matan Segal stated that neither Beitar nor the Israel Football Association have taken adequate measures to curb racist abuse in the stands.

The Partial Return to Kirjat Schmona and Financial Pressures

The Israeli government has lifted the formal evacuation order for Kirjat Schmona, allowing approximately 16,000 residents to return, though roughly 7,000 people—about a third of the original population—have chosen to build permanent lives elsewhere amid persistent security concerns. The club’s players, coaching staff, and management remain dispersed across various cities, preventing an immediate return to their home stadium, sueddeutsche.de reported.

To sustain operations under these conditions, Hapoel Ironi Kirjat Schmona must absorb nearly one million euros annually in extra expenditures. “We want to rebuild our community,” Cohen said. “That is the most important thing.”