Friends of Israeli Liverpool fan who was murdered by Hamas terrorists slam the club for banning their planned tribute to him (while ‘allowing the flying of Palestine flags’)

• Friends of Israeli Liverpool fan killed by Hamas planned to hold a tribute banner
• Roee Munder, 50, was buried in emotional service outside Tel Aviv on Sunday 
• Liverpool stewards ordered group to take banner down during Liverpool game

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’. 

Israeli Liverpool fan Roee Munder, 50, was buried yesterday in an emotional service outside Tel Aviv after being murdered by Hamas terrorists

On Saturday, friends of Roee (pictured right) tried to display a banner during the Liverpool v Everton derby but officials ordered them to take it down

Roee was farewelled by loved ones on Sunday after gunmen burst into his kibbutz and shot him dead. The football fan’s coffin was adorned with flowers and Liverpool scarves

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.

READ MORE: Multiple Palestine flags held up at Anfield during Merseyside derby

‘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 tribute to him, and I can’t believe it wasn’t allowed.

‘When I got married, I walked up the aisle to the Liverpool anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone and Roeen sang it with all his heart.

‘The banner wasn’t provocative, it wasn’t political, it was just simply a memorial banner and we want to know from Liverpool why it wasn’t allowed and hopefully they will allow it at the next game on Thursday in the Europa League.’

Rotem revealed that Roee was at the Nir Oz kibbutz when he was murdered, while his sister Keren was kidnapped along with his grandparents Ruth and Avraham Munder, both 78.

Their mobile phones have been detected in Gaza but nothing has been heard from them in more than two weeks and on Sunday Roee was buried in an emotional ceremony at a cemetery north of Tel Aviv.

Mourners are seen carrying the coffin of Roee Munder during his funeral in Kibbutz Metzer

A friend of Roee’s is seen crouching beside his grave during the service on Sunday. Roee had messaged his friend Rotem saying ‘a mess has started’ following the Hamas invasion

Mourners sported Liverpool FC shirts while paying their respects to Roee in a cemetery north of Tel Aviv on Sunday

Rotem told MailOnline: ‘The funeral was very emotional, and a lot of the mourners had Liverpool shirts on and scarves, but some said they wouldn’t go to a game again because of what happened.

‘Roee had been to lots of games at Anfield and it was his dream to take his nephew Ohad there but that will never happen now.

‘His family are in bits, no one knows where the little boy is, a little boy who is celebrating his ninth birthday in the hands of terrorists and who we hope is at least still with his mum and grandparents.

‘When the kibbutz was attacked all we know is that Roee was in his place and the others were in their house and they got into their safe room.

‘I heard from Roee a few times during the day and I could hear shooting and sirens in the background and that was the last time I had contact.

‘I can only assume he had left his house to make sure his family were safe, he was found dead in the grounds of the kibbutz but I don’t want to think of how he died – I just want to remember him as the kind man who was a big Liverpool fan.

‘We have heard nothing about the rest of the family and all we can do is hope and pray that they all come back safely.’

Roee had been to many games at Anfield and it was his dream to take his nephew Ohad there (he is pictured at the stadium during happier times)

Liverpool stewards banned Roee’s friends from flying a tribute banner during the Liverpool v Everton game

Rotem added: ‘The morning it happened I got a message from Roee saying ‘a mess has started’ but no one could ever have imagined this.’

Officials in Israel said that Ohad was one of around 30 children that had been kidnapped by Hamas terrorist on October 7 and taken to Gaza.

Multiple Palestinian flags were seen at the match as well as a banner that read: ‘For God’s sake save Gaza’.

Liverpool have been contacted for comment.

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