From: Jewish News Syndicate November 12, 2024
France and Israel soccer match heavy security

France bolsters security ahead of soccer match against Israel, Greece follows suit

The event is classified under an "increased security risk" with thousands of officers and stadium staff to be deployed.

Israel’s soccer match with host France this Thursday will be played under heavy security in the aftermath of the attacks against Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in Amsterdam on November 7

Authorities said on Tuesday that the upcoming UEFA Nations League game, set to kick off at 8:45 p.m. local time, Thursday is classified as an “increased security risk.”

Earlier in the week, it was announced that 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed in and around the Stade de France, the national stadium just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis, and on public transportation.

While the stadium capacity is 80,000 the number of fans allowed in will be limited to just 20,000

Macron attendance
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the game “to show his full support for the French national team, but also to send a message of fraternity and solidarity after the unbearable antisemitic attacks following the football game in Amsterdam this week.”

Israeli alert warning
Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) on Sunday issued an alert warning Israeli travelers to avoid sporting and cultural events in Europe, with an emphasis on the upcoming Israeli national team game in Paris.

Israeli stance
Despite the NSC warning, thousands of French Jews are planning to attend the match.

“I don’t want to gift an empty stadium to haters and antisemites,” Yonathan Arfi, president of France’s Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) told Ynet. “The worst thing we can do is abandon the field and leave it to antisemites,” he added.

“We understand the NSC’s position, but this game has important symbolic significance:
The stands must be full, including with French people who reject antisemitism.”

Arfi stressed however that attendees must “be cautious and pay attention to what’s happening. We aren’t diminishing the threat at all but we need to be there.”

Knesset member Yosef Taieb from the Shas Party told the Knesset’s Education, Culture and Sports Committee on Monday, as quoted by Channel 12 that “the entire Jewish community in France is currently rallying by the thousands to buy tickets and come to the Stade de France with Israeli and French flags together on Thursday.

We don’t need to hide from anyone, and we should support our team.”