Tight security as France and Israel share a tense goalless draw in Paris

Israel and France played out a goalless draw in a UEFA Nations League match on 13 november at Paris's Stade de France, where an extensive security presence underscored the game.

Over 4,000 police officers and 1,600 civilian personnel were deployed inside and outside the stadium to prevent fan violence following recent tensions.

Last week, violent incidents erupted in Amsterdam after a match involving Maccabi Tel Aviv, which heightened security concerns for the Paris fixture.

Despite efforts to ensure a calm atmosphere, tensions flared briefly in the stands. Stewards intervened to prevent clashes between Israeli and French supporters, with videos on social media capturing scenes of fans, some with Israeli flags, moving quickly along the rows as others whistled and booed. Security personnel swiftly separated the groups, containing the disturbance within minutes.

The heightened tensions saw attendance fall, with only 16,611 fans present in a stadium that can accommodate up to 80,000. Around 100 Israeli supporters attended despite warnings from Israeli authorities to avoid the game, while roughly 600 French Jewish community members arrived on police-escorted buses.

French authorities had come under pressure from some lawmakers to postpone or relocate the match. However, the government held firm, with President Emmanuel Macron present to underline France's stance against anti-Semitism and violence. Macron later commented, "We will not give in to anti-Semitism anywhere, and violence — including in the French Republic — will never prevail, nor will intimidation."

Before the match, Macron had personally called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reassure him of the security measures in place. An elite police unit guarded the Israeli team from their arrival in France, which Israeli coach Ran Ben Simon later described as "extraordinary." He added, "We want to thank the security people for protecting us."

The recent violence in Amsterdam was a point of reference for security measures. Maccabi fans, in the city for a match against Ajax, had reportedly sparked unrest by setting fire to a Palestinian flag and damaging property, leading to retaliatory attacks. Amsterdam's mayor, Femke Halsema, condemned the clashes as "a poisonous cocktail of anti-Semitism and hooliganism," while far-right Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders blamed the violence on "Muslims."

Meanwhile, nearby in Saint-Denis, a pro-Palestinian demonstration took place, drawing hundreds of protesters. The previous night, a larger protest against an "Israel is Forever" gala in Paris had seen clashes, with police using tear gas to disperse the crowd after some protesters vandalised a restaurant.

Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF), expressed hope that the France-Israel match could serve as an example against violence. "We need to show a sort of 'anti-Amsterdam' this evening," Arfi said.

Among those in attendance were Prime Minister Michel Barnier and former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. Macron's presence was seen as a symbolic effort to mend recent tensions in French-Israeli relations. Last week, Israeli police briefly detained two French gendarmes inside a French-owned church compound in Jerusalem, an incident that prompted French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot to cancel a planned visit.

The 0-0 result was enough for France to secure a spot in the Nations League quarter-finals, while Israel collected their first point of the competition.