Whistles and boos at tense France-Israel football match

View: Short skirmishes among fans during the Israel vs. France soccer match

During the European Nations League match in Paris featuring France and Israel, certain football fans expressed their discontent by whistling and booing while the Israeli national anthem was performed at the beginning of the event.

Thursday's game took place in front of sparse attendance and heightened security, just a week after clashes occurred in Amsterdam between pro-Palestinian protesters and Israeli supporters.

Even though there were concerns about a recurrence of the violence seen in Amsterdam, there were only a handful of short altercations in the stands during the first half of the match, which concluded with a scoreless 0-0 tie.

President Emmanuel Macron, who was at the game alongside Prime Minister Michel Barnier, stated before the event that France would not succumb to antisemitism.

Supporters of Palestine came together in Paris to express their opposition to the match.

Numerous police officers were stationed to maintain safety at the Stade de France, located in the northern suburbs of Paris, as well as on public transportation. Meanwhile, a specialized anti-terrorism police unit provided security for the visiting Israeli team.

A journalist from France's AFP news agency observed officials stepping in to prevent fights among opposing fans in the audience.

As reported by Reuters, around 100 fans from Israel ignored the travel advisories issued by their government and gathered in one section of the stadium, which can hold 80,000 people but was only about one-fifth filled.

Holding up yellow balloons, they shouted "Release the Hostages," referring to the Israelis captured by Hamas militants in Gaza, according to the agency's report.

Before the game, a few hundred protesters assembled in a square close to the stadium, waving flags from Palestine, Lebanon, and Algeria to express their opposition to the conflict in Gaza.

One sign proclaimed, "We take genocide seriously."

Israel has dismissed claims of genocide as unfounded and highly exaggerated.

A campaign was initiated to eliminate Hamas in reaction to the group's unprecedented assault on southern Israel on October 7 of last year, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals and the capture of 251 others.

According to the health ministry in Gaza, which is managed by Hamas, over 43,700 individuals have lost their lives in the region since that time.

Political leaders throughout Europe condemned what they called a "resurgence of antisemitism" following an incident where Israeli supporters were pursued through the streets of Amsterdam.

According to city officials, Maccabi fans engaged in acts of vandalism, which included ripping down a Palestinian flag, vandalizing a taxi, and shouting anti-Arab chants. The report, spanning 12 pages, indicated that these fans were subsequently confronted by "small groups of rioters" who approached on foot, scooters, or in cars.

A strong police presence was established throughout the stadium area.

Conflict between Israel and its neighboring countries in the Middle East could potentially extend to Europe.

France, Belgium, and the Netherlands are home to significant Muslim communities with roots in North Africa, and these groups coexist alongside much smaller Jewish communities, many of whom have a strong sense of connection to Israel.

In a show of support for European Jews following the incidents in Amsterdam, President Emmanuel Macron was present at Thursday's game, joined by Prime Minister Michel Barnier and former presidents François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.

Macron (bottom right) was present alongside (clockwise) Philippe Diallo, the President of the French Football Federation, as well as Hollande and Sarkozy.

Fans were informed that they should prepare for identity verifications before the match, and local pubs and eateries were instructed to shut down starting in the afternoon.

The Stade de France witnessed a serious disturbance in law and order during the 2022 UEFA Champions League final, which featured Liverpool and Real Madrid. Nonetheless, since that incident, the venue has successfully hosted both the Rugby World Cup and the Paris Olympics without any issues.

The far-left party in France, La France Insoumise (LFI), which supports Palestinians and Lebanese in their disputes with Israel, urged that Thursday's match be either canceled or for Macron to choose not to attend.

"We don’t think our leader should be recognizing a nation involved in genocide,” stated LFI deputy David Guiraud.

However, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau emphasized that there is no possibility of canceling or moving the match. “France will not yield to those who spread hatred,” he stated.

France and Israel are in the same group for the UEFA tournament, which also includes Italy and Belgium. In their opening match held in Budapest, France triumphed over Israel with a score of 4-1.

Anticipation was building ahead of the match, especially after a pro-Israeli “gala” event was approved to take place in Paris. Initially, it was anticipated that the far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich would attend in person, but eventually, it was believed he would join via video link instead.

Thousands of pro-Palestinian and anti-racism groups also held demonstrations in the capital to align with the occasion. Tensions escalated into confrontations, and law enforcement deployed tear gas when protesters aimed their anger at a McDonald's on Boulevard Montmartre.

The relationship between Macron and Benjamin Netanyahu has significantly deteriorated in recent weeks. This tension arose after Macron accused the Israeli prime minister of promoting violence in Gaza and Lebanon.

French Jews expressed their displeasure when Macron was reported to have suggested that Netanyahu agree to UN requests for a ceasefire, stating that “his country was established by a UN resolution.” Many in Israel took this as a slight to the memory of those Jews who died during the struggle for their nation’s independence.

France expressed its anger after Israeli authorities briefly held two French officials at a religious site located in East Jerusalem, which is managed by France.

Macron has been characterized as taking a back-and-forth approach in his policy towards the Middle East, similar to his stance in various other areas. He oscillates between strong endorsements for Israel and positions that favor its Arab neighbors, often appearing inconsistent in his statements.