Israel's national anthem was met with boos and clashes between fans during an Olympic football match.

During the Israel vs Mali football match at the Paris 2024 Olympics, it was hard to ignore the presence of Palestine flags waving proudly throughout the stadium. The atmosphere was tense as fans jeered loudly during Israel's national anthem, which played before the game began on Wednesday night. The Israeli team's participation in the Olympics has been a controversial topic, especially due to the ongoing war in Gaza. In fact, one French MP went as far as to say that Israeli athletes were not welcome in Paris.

Due to safety concerns, the Israeli delegation has been receiving round-the-clock security throughout the games. This was evident as the football team arrived at the Parc des Princes stadium with a heavy police escort. Around 1,000 police officers were deployed at the stadium, home of Paris Saint-Germain, as France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that the security was necessary to protect not just the Israeli team, but also the whole world. He emphasized the threat that our country and the western world face.

Thankfully, there were no major incidents like the ones that occurred during Argentina's game earlier that evening. However, before kick-off, the fans made their voices heard by loudly booing and whistling during the Israeli national anthem. In fact, the volume on the stadium's speaker system was turned up to drown out the jeers. Some fans even waved Palestinian flags, while a group of supporters wore t-shirts that read "FREE PALESTINE."

As the match began, the Israeli players were met with boos every time they touched the ball. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, but not without some unsavory incidents. Defender Ilay Feingold had a laser shone in his face, a common occurrence at big football games in recent years. There was also a small fight in the stands when an Israel supporter tried to take away a Palestine flag, which was permitted as Palestine also has athletes at the Olympics.

Despite these tensions, the rest of the match was relatively peaceful. However, it remains to be seen how long this will last as the Olympics officially begin on Friday night. The Israeli football team's next game is against Paraguay on Saturday, followed by a match against Japan on Tuesday.

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