Security officials protecting the Israeli delegation to the 2024 Paris Olympics have reassessed the security situation of the Israeli athletes at the Games in the wake of the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh early Wednesday morning in Tehran, along with the assassination of Hezbollah senior Fuad Shukr in Beirut on Tuesday night. Ynet and "Yediot Ahronoth" have learned that the Shin Bet will increase the security of the delegation.
Additional security guards were added to the security force of the Shin Bet's personnel and delegation security unit attached to the members of the delegation living in the Olympic Village and to those staying in facilities outside of it. Safety instructions to the members of the delegation have been tightened, and the security of the local forces who provide services alongside the Israeli security, was increased. The Shin Bet says that daily situation assessments are being conducted and the security arrangements are determined accordingly.
Even before the assassinations, the Israeli athletes received death threats on social networks, as part of a hate attack that the Israeli delegation is undergoing - which led to an investigation of the events in France and an unusual announcement by the National Security Council that this was an attack initiated by Iran.
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The Israeli delegation to the Paris Olympics at the Opening Ceremonies
(Photo: Damien Meyer / AFP)
As the security around Israel's embassies around the world has been increased, there is a fear that the Israeli delegation in Paris will become a target, and therefore the Israeli security officials held a specific situational assessment out of fear that Israeli athletes would be the target of revenge attacks. French security forces are also involved in the matter.
The Israeli athletes will be briefed on rules of conduct and on possible provocations that may be directed against them.