On the walk into Parc de Princes stadium in Paris on Saturday evening there was a notable lack of fans draped in Israeli flags, but once inside their supporters were not shy in making their voices heard.
While Israel fans watching their team play Paraguay in the men’s football at the Olympics might have been hoping to forget about politics for the evening, pro-Palestine elements of the crowd were not as keen to leave the war in Gaza at the door.
Several spectators brought Palestinian flags into the match with them, riling up some of the Israeli supporters in the crowd.
Walking into the stadium one Israeli supporter carrying his country’s flag said he could see aggression in some eyes on the streets of Paris when he walked by. “It’s sport, not politics,” he said.
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There is a tension around Israel’s presence at this Olympic Games, due to the war the country is waging in Gaza, which in turn has heightened security concerns among French authorities.
During a football match earlier in the week against Mali the Israeli national anthem had been met with boos. The atmosphere in the stadium was less tense on Saturday, the Israeli anthem passed off without any audible opposition and a Mexican wave regularly made its way around the stands.
Security heading into Parc de Princes, which is the home ground of Paris Saint-Germain, was expectedly tight.
One Israeli supporter on his way into the match, Arkady Tishman (50), had travelled to Paris for the Olympics in recent days. His main concern was the weather: “I hope this week the rain finishes and becomes sun.”
Given the high security and police presence he said he felt safe, but added that even if that was not there he would have his Israeli flag around his shoulders. A reference to art trumping war was one of his favourite moments of the opening ceremony, he said.
Mr Tishman said he also held nothing against fans from other countries who cheered for Palestine. “I don’t blame them, because to understand what’s going on you should come to our country and see what’s going on and then you make your conclusions ... Unfortunately we’re losing the information war, that’s what’s going on,” he said.
Another group of four Israeli fans said they had not had any bother during the Olympics. “Everything has been okay, we are proud in our country and what we are doing,” one of the group said.
Inside the stadium, one Israeli supporter from Paris, who is Jewish, said Palestinian flags being brought into the ground by some spectators were a “provocation”.
During the match itself plenty of those in the 48,500 seat stadium were cheering for Israel, with a loud Paraguay contingent in the ground as well.
On the pitch Paraguay were the better team and always looked the more dangerous. They led in the first half with a very well taken goal from Marcelo Fernandez, who curled a shot past the keeper from distance.
Israel hung on and got level against the run of play at the start of the second half, but Brighton & Hove Albion winger Julio Enciso nudged Paraguay back in front afterwards.
A penalty for Israel on the 80-minute mark was initially saved, only for Oscar Gloukh, who plays RB Salzburg at club level, to knock in the rebound, which might have earned Israel a draw. Two goals in injury time, from Fabian Balbuena and a second for Fernandez, settled it for Paraguay.
