Why did a pro-Israel German club raise a tifo for a Gaza captive?

SV Werder Bremen supporters raised a huge tifo for a dead Israeli captive on the club's first game of the season, part of the German club's strongly pro-Israel stance amid a huge backlash against the war on Gaza in the football world.

A banner with a portrait of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli captive held by Hamas, was raised on Sunday, on the first anniversary of his death. 

Goldberg-Polin was kidnapped on 7 October 2023 and held by Hamas until his body was found in a tunnel in Rafah on 31 August 2024, allegedly with bullet wounds. 

SV Werder Bremen fans raised a banner when he died, and did so again on the first anniversary of his death.

"For the first time on the Jewish calendar marks the anniversary of the death of Hersh, who was murdered along with five other hostages by Hamas after eleven months in captivity," the club wrote on its Instagram page. "You'll remain in our hearts, Achi!"

The Bundesliga side has a reputation for being strongly pro-Israel, having supported fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv after widespread criticism of their actions in Amsterdam when they attacked locals and pro-Palestine supporters.

The actions saw Ajax fans and locals clash with the Israeli supporters, with the Israeli government intervening through diplomatic channels and social media.

"Solidarity with those affected by anti-Semitic violence! Let us retreat once again from the pogroms!" a banner from SV Werder Bremen fans said at the time.

The official Israel X account praised the German fans' gesture, despite the criticisms of the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.

"Thank you to the incredible fans of @werderbremen for standing in solidarity with the Israeli victims of Thursday’s horrific pogrom in Amsterdam," said the account, run by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We will never forget your kindness and moral clarity. Never again is now."

SV Werder Bremen and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have close relations, something promoted by the German club.

In 2008, an exchange between the German and Israeli football fans took place as part of the 'Bremer-Fan Project’, with SV Werder Bremen supporters attending Maccabi Tel Aviv games and visiting Israeli cities.

SV Werder Bremen's Kop has seen pro-Israel banners throughout the Gaza war, despite protests from other European football fans against Israel's assault, which is widely viewed as genocide.

The fans are known to be left-wing, linking their support for Israel to opposition to anti-semitism, something viewed as part of German guilt for the Nazis' murder of 6 million Jews.

Most left-wing football sides in Europe are strongly pro-Palestine, given the genocidal war in Gaza.

Celtic fans have raised Palestine flags and pro-Gaza banners throughout the war, showing solidarity with the besieged enclave as more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority civilians.

Israel has targeted Gaza's sporting community, with more than 800 Palestinian athletes killed, including 421 football players.

Earlier this month, Suleiman Obeid, known as the 'Palestinian Pele', was shot dead by Israeli forces while trying to access aid in Gaza.