Israel is warning its citizens to stay away from a November 14 soccer match in Paris between its national team and France, as well as other events abroad, where Israelis might normally gather, in the wake of a rash of organized attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters, following a match in Amsterdam on Thursday night that officials have described as a “pogrom.”
“In the last few days, various calls have been identified among pro-Palestinians/ supporters of terror group to harm Israelis and Jews, under the cover of protests and demonstrations, and while taking advantage of mass attendance (of sports and cultural events) to maximize harm and media exposure,” a statement from the National Security Council says.
The council, which regularly issues travel warnings, says Israelis should “completely avoid games/cultural events that have Israeli participation for the next week.”
The statement specifically mentions the UEFA Nations League match in Paris on Thursday, and says there are also threats to Jews and Israelis in Brussels, Amsterdam, and in unnamed “central British cities.”
It also says Israelis traveling abroad should avoid identifying as such, and cautions travelers to study up on risks within their destinations, including whether “there is a large migrant population from countries opposed to Israel.”
Paris officials have vowed to step up security for the match on Thursday, which is set to be attended by French President Emmanuel Macron.
“There’s a context, tensions that make that match a high-risk event for us,” Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez says 2,500 police officers will be deployed around the Stade de France stadium, north of the French capital, in addition to 1,500 others in Paris and on public transportation.
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