France has launched a significant security operation for Thursday’s football match between France and Israel, taking place at the Stade de France. This comes in response to last week’s violence in Amsterdam, where Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were attacked.
Laurent Nuñez, Paris’s police chief, announced that 4,000 officers will be on duty, with 2,500 stationed at the stadium in the northern suburbs and others monitoring public transit and key locations across Paris. An additional 1,600 private security personnel will bolster safety efforts at the venue, while an elite anti-terror unit will ensure the protection of the Israeli team.
“This is a high-risk event due to the current geopolitical tensions,” said Nuñez, emphasizing that authorities will not tolerate any disruptions to public order.
The match has garnered heightened attention following last week’s UEFA game between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, where violence broke out, leading to the pursuit of Israeli fans in Amsterdam’s streets. Maccabi supporters were also reported to have vandalized property, including tearing down a Palestinian flag and attacking a taxi, which drew responses from local rioters using scooters and cars.
The Stade de France, capable of accommodating 80,000 spectators, will only host about 20,000 for this match. Following recommendations from Israeli officials, only around 100 Israeli fans are expected to make the trip to Paris, though more may attend.
Recent violence in Europe linked to the Middle East has raised concerns, especially in countries like France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, where significant North African Muslim and smaller Jewish communities coexist. To show support for Jewish communities after the Amsterdam events, President Emmanuel Macron will be present at the match, joined by Prime Minister Michel Barnier and former presidents François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. Spectators have been advised to expect thorough identity checks, and nearby establishments have been ordered to close early.
The Stade de France has faced security challenges before, notably during the 2022 UEFA Champions League final, which saw chaos involving Liverpool and Real Madrid fans. However, recent events like the Rugby World Cup and preparations for the Paris Olympics were successfully managed.
France’s leftist political party, France Unbowed (LFI), which supports Palestinian causes, has called for the match’s cancellation or, at the very least, for Macron to withdraw his attendance. LFI deputy David Guiraud stated, “We do not want our head of state honouring a country accused of genocide,” a claim Israel firmly denies.
Despite these calls, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau rejected any notion of cancellation, affirming, “France will not yield to those who incite hatred.”
France and Israel share their UEFA Nations League group with Italy and Belgium. In their previous encounter in Budapest, France secured a 4-1 victory over Israel.
Pre-match tensions were further heightened by a pro-Israeli event held in Paris. Initially, Israeli far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich was expected to attend, though it later emerged that he would only participate via video. This gathering spurred protests by pro-Palestinian and anti-racism groups, resulting in clashes and police intervention using tear gas as demonstrators targeted a McDonald’s on Boulevard Montmartre.
Relations between President Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been strained in recent weeks. Macron’s criticism of Netanyahu’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as comments about Israel’s creation under UN resolutions, have sparked discontent. Israel, in turn, provoked diplomatic tension when French officials were briefly detained at a religious site in East Jerusalem administered by France.
Observers note that Macron’s Middle East policy often oscillates, shifting between support for Israel and its regional adversaries.
BBC News, CNN, Reuters, The Guardian, Euronews, France 24, Dawn News, ARY News
