“Massive measures taken”
TuS Makkabi can no longer train in Berlin
October 11, 2023, 3:53 p.m
Athletes in Germany are also feeling the consequences of the Hamas terrorist attack: While Makkabi Frankfurt can only train under increased security measures, play at the club’s Berlin branch has been completely suspended. Association president Meyer describes this as an “absolute defeat”.
President Alon Meyer of Makkabi Germany deeply regrets the cessation of games and training operations in Makkabi Berlin as a result of the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. “The fact that we can no longer maintain safe games and training operations for a Jewish club due to an escalation in the Middle East is an absolute defeat for all of us,” he said in an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”.
Meyer, who is also president of Makkabi Frankfurt, reported that games and training operations would continue there after an assessment of the situation and increased security measures. In Berlin, however, everything has stopped, “massive measures have been taken there,” explained Meyer.
Makkabi Berlin had already announced on its Facebook page on Saturday that all matches scheduled for Sunday in both basketball and football had been canceled. Also the Chess department started the season not in their league. According to the DFB platform Fussball.de, the games of the Berlin Makkabi youth teams have also been canceled next weekend. According to the game plan, the upper league footballers would be challenged in the Berlin Cup.
Maccabi members also returned to Israel
“The fact that we don’t continue to support these organizations, institutions and clubs that have nothing better to do than celebrate these inhumanities with taxpayers’ money,” Meyer continued in the interview. Those responsible must be clearly named “so that we can finally implement the corresponding consequences and not just condemn them with words. We have to follow up with actions,” said Meyer.
Since the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas on Saturday, there have been at least 1,200 deaths on the Israeli side. The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli counterattacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to at least 1,050.
At the weekend, Israel announced that it would draft 300,000 reservists. According to Meyer, club members of Makkabi Germany are also affected. “I know of a lot of club members who have to fly back to Israel, including those who have just finished their military service in Israel and are now returning.” He did not give exact numbers. “I know it from five members alone, from five parents, who went to Israel to say goodbye to their children, to the sons, who were drafted,” explained Meyer.