France bolstering security ahead of soccer match against Israel

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

By Joshua Marks, JNS

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 Nov. 7.

Authorities said on Tuesday that the upcoming UEFA Nations League game, set to kick off at 8:45 p.m. local time, 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 of France, located 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.

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.”

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.

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.”

Greece boosts security ahead of Maccabi basketball match

Security is being beefed up ahead of other sporting events in Europe involving Israeli teams in the wake of the attacks in Amsterdam, which followed a game against Ajax in the Europa League. Ten Israeli citizens were injured in the attacks.

AFP reported that Greece has heightened security measures for a Euroleague basketball game between Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv on Tuesday.

A police source told the news agency that around 1,500 police would be deployed for the game at the Athens Olympic indoor hall.

Part of the force will be assigned to Maccabi fans and anti-terror officers will escort the team bus. The Israeli embassy in Athens will also be assigned additional security.

Meanwhile, UEFA announced on Monday that the Nov. 28 Europa League match between Besiktas and Maccabi Tel Aviv has been moved from Istanbul to Debrecen in Hungary.

“The match will be played behind closed doors, following a decision of the local Hungarian authorities,” the governing body of European soccer said in a statement.