Crowds booed at Israel's national soccer team in France on Wednesday as the national anthem "Hatikvah" played at the start of the match against Mali at the Parc de France stadium in front of about 35,000 spectators, marking the start of Israel's run for a medal in soccer at the Paris Olympics.
Supporters of the Palestinians, including Moroccan nationals, clashed with Israeli fans in their stands as Palestinian flags were waved in the seats of the Mali fans.
Israel's final score was 1-1 against Mali in the opening round of Group 4 play. Israel will face Paraguay next.
A pro-Palestinian group said on Tuesday that protests were planned during the game and Susan Shields from Europalestine, a French activist group behind the recent protests, said that "there will be a silent protest inside the stadium against the genocide in Gaza."
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Anti-Israel protesters wave Palestinian flag during a soccer match in Paris
(Photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images)
Israel team coach Guy Luzon said in a press conference on Tuesday that the protests against Israel and his team would only make the team perform better. "Bring on the loudest protests," he said. "They will make us try harder."
This is the third appearance of the Blue and Whites in Olympic soccer play; In the previous two times - Mexico City, 1968, and Montreal, 1976 - the team reached the quarter-finals.
First published: 23:10, 07.24.24