Pro-Palestinian protesters call for severing ties between France and Israel

Pro-Palestinian supporters gathered outside the headquarters of the French Football Federation (FFF) in Paris on Monday, demanding the cancellation of the upcoming Nations League match between France and Israel, scheduled for November 14 at the Stade de France.

Images shared on social media showed protesters lying on the ground and displaying banners decorated with political slogans and Palestinian flags.

The crowd chanted: “No, no, no to the France-Israel match at the Stade de France,” underscoring their opposition to the match amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Although the FFF has not yet commented, reports indicate that police quietly evacuated the protesters from the premises.

French authorities confirmed last month that the match would go ahead as planned, allowing fans to enter the stadium despite previous security concerns.

This decision follows Italy’s recent hosting of Israel in the same competition without incident.

The match is set against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the region, especially following the intensifying conflict in Gaza and its spillover into Lebanon.

This will be Israel’s first match outside neutral Hungary this year, as the national team has played its previous matches in Kosovo and Andorra since the outbreak of the latest Israeli bombing of Gaza on October 7, 2022.

A Nations League match against Belgium was also moved to Hungary after the Belgian Football Association refused to host it due to security fears.