Friends of Israeli Liverpool fan murdered by Hamas slam club for banning tribute

Friends of an Israeli Liverpool fan murdered by Hamas have told of their fury after the club banned them from staging a tribute to him at Anfield - but appeared to allow the flying of Palestinian flags.

Roee Munder, 50, was buried yesterday in an emotional service outside Tel Aviv after being shot by Hamas terrorists while members of his family - including his nine-year-old nephew Ohad, also a Liverpool fan - were snatched and taken to Gaza as hostages.

On Saturday, friends of Roee tried to display a banner at Anfield during the Liverpool v Everton derby but zealous officials ordered them to take it down – despite allowing multiple Palestinian flags to fly during the game.

Furious family friend Rotem Zmora told MailOnline how he had arranged a special tribute but were banned by stewards, saying: 'I can't believe it wasn't allowed'.

Ohad, who turns nine today, remains in the hands of Hamas terrorists after he was kidnapped with his mother and grandparents while Roee was murdered when gunmen burst into their kibbutz.

Rotem said: 'We had arranged for the banner to be made with Roee's name and the names of three other Liverpool fans who were killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7 and followed all the official guidelines.

'The banner read 'In Loving Memory of the Fallen Israeli Reds' and was going to be displayed in the Kop end before the Everton game.

'But then a stewards came along and said he would have to check with his control room and the message came back that it could not be displayed – yet we all saw pro-Palestinian flags and banners at the ground.

'Why weren't they challenged? We have asked the club for an explanation but have heard nothing. Roee was such a good dear friend to me, and this would have been the ideal