France-Israel: the security system around the match revised upwards after the violence in Amsterdam

A football match still marked by violence. During the night from Thursday to Friday, Israeli supporters were attacked in the center of Amsterdam (Netherlands), on the sidelines of the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. According to an initial assessment, five people were hospitalized and 62 arrested. The Israeli government ordered planes to be sent to the Netherlands to rescue supporters of the visiting club. This information is not very reassuring, as France is due to host the Israeli national team in six days.

Next Thursday, November 14, the Stade de France will be the scene of a Nations League match between the Blues and Israel (8:45 p.m. live on TF1, TF1+ (new window) and live commentary on TF1info). If there is no shortage of sporting issues, it is more the security around the match that is talking. According to our information, the police headquarters is in the process of completely reviewing its security system since the events in Amsterdam.

The ultra-protected Israeli delegation

Initially, some 2,500 police officers were to be mobilized, but this figure should “evolve very quickly”according to our sources. Because the trend is to “the intensification of the threat”. Risks of actions which can target representations of the State of Israel, actions against those who claim to be supporters or even demonstrations in the stands, like that noted on Wednesday December 6 at the Parc des Princes (new window)are particularly feared.

For a long time, uncertainty hung over the venue hosting this meeting. If the Stade de France is the usual lair of the Blues, it has no longer been used by Didier Deschamps' men (new window) for more than a year, due to the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Their return to Saint-Denis could have been postponed, but the Minister of the Interior confirmed that this match would take place at the Stade de France (new window)which he emphasized again this Friday. “France is not backing down, because that would amount to abdicating in the face of threats of violence and anti-Semitism”wrote Bruno Retailleau on X (new window).

• Read also

  Jerusalem: Eleona, a historic site scene of a diplomatic incident between France and Israel

Still according to our information, the Israeli delegation will be protected in the same way as during its stay in France during the Olympic Games, where it had also played certain matches in Paris. Elite police and gendarmerie units will secure her 24 hours a day, while her convoy will be ultra-secure, and her hotel address will remain confidential.