Israel urges fans to skip France-Israel football match after clashes

PARIS – Israel has urged fans to avoid Nov 14’s France-Israel football match, which the authorities fear could become a flashpoint after violence in Amsterdam following a match involving an Israeli team.

Despite a high police presence and the expected attendance of French President Emmanuel Macron, Israeli officials on Nov 10 warned fans to stay away because of fears they could be targeted.

A right-wing Jewish group has, nevertheless, announced a rally ahead of the Nations League competition.

The Paris fixture will take place one week after clashes in Amsterdam around a match between Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dutch team Ajax.

The violence was condemned as “anti-Semitic” by Israeli, US, Dutch and European leaders. About two dozen people were injured, while police said they had made more than 60 arrests.

Describing the France-Israel fixture as high risk, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said 4,000 gendarmes would be deployed around the Stade de France, on public transport and across the French capital.

Such a massive deployment was “highly unusual” for an international match, Mr Nunez told BFMTV, while the national police force’s elite unit would be tasked with protecting Israel’s footballers.

“We will not tolerate any overspill or disturbances to public order,” he added.

Intolerable anti-Semitism

In Jerusalem, the National Security Council on Nov 10 urged Israeli fans to “avoid attending sports games/cultural events involving Israelis, with an emphasis on the upcoming match of the Israeli national team in Paris”.

Organisations wishing to attack Israel had been identified in a number of European cities, including Paris, it warned, advising its nationals not to have recognisable Israeli or Jewish signs on display.

The match comes amid a tide of rising anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim abuse since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Mr Macron’s office on Nov 10 said the French President would attend the upcoming match to “send a message of fraternity and solidarity after the intolerable acts of anti-Semitism that followed the match in Amsterdam this week”.

The scenes in Amsterdam last week sparked widespread international condemnation, with US President Joe Biden and European leaders denouncing the “anti-Semitic” violence against Jews.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry reported “anti-Arab chanting”.

Following rising tensions in the run-up to the Europa League game, groups of men on scooters launched “hit-and-run” attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters.

This came after sporadic incidents linked to both Maccabi supporters – accused of chanting and singing anti-Palestinian slogans and songs – and opposing groups of youth.

Amsterdam police said some Maccabi supporters had burned a Palestinian flag on the Dam central square and vandalised a taxi.

Police said the attackers were mobilised by calls on social media to target Jewish people.

The authorities have since mobilised additional police and extended a ban on wearing masks.

At least 63 people have been arrested in connection with last week’s violence and more detentions are expected.

Protest planned

Right-wing Jewish movement Betar on Nov 10 said it would organise a protest against anti-Semitism ahead of the match.

World Betar, a pro-Israel youth movement, was also planning to host Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on the sidelines of a gala on Nov 13 in support of Israel organised by far-right individuals.

Several associations, unions and French leftist parties had denounced the “Israel is Forever” event and, in particular, Mr Smotrich’s planned appearance.

But Mr Nunez – who gave his approval for the gala to be held – said that Mr Smotrich might not, in fact, attend.

“I understand that in the end, he won’t be there,” he said.

Betar is active worldwide and has links to the Israeli right.

The group’s CEO Yigal Brand said in a statement on Nov 10 that the movement was “outraged at what has happened in Amsterdam”.

“We are proud Zionists and have nothing to apologise for,” he added.

The Israeli authorities had warned fans against attending a Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball match in the Italian city of Bologna on Nov 8, which ended without incident.

Following the violence in Amsterdam, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the Mossad spy agency to draw up a plan to prevent unrest at events abroad. AFP