‘Largest-ever’ security efforts underway as Israeli Olympic athletes receive death threats ahead of their arrival in Paris

 

Israel is sending armed Shin Bet agents to Paris to prepare for the largest-ever security operation for Israeli athletes at the Olympic Games.

Israeli Olympians taking part in the world’s foremost sports competition have been receiving death threats online over the last few days, according to Israeli media.

Approximately 88 Israeli athletes and their teams are set to receive a security detail from Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency, but not all will have their own bodyguard.

Israeli broadcaster Walla reported over the weekend that Israeli athletes have received threatening online messages written in poor Hebrew. As many as 15 athletes and their teams reportedly received identical death threats via email, warning them they would be killed if they arrived in France.  

The anonymous email threatened to repeat the atrocities of the Munich Massacre during the 1972 Summer Olympics, promising harm to “any Israeli presence at the Olympics.”

The Munich Massacre saw 11 Israeli athletes and coaches murdered by 8 individuals belonging to the Palestinian militant group Black September.

Many Israeli athletes competing this year have also received suspicious calls from foreign numbers in the last few days.

Miki Zohar, Israel’s minister of culture and sport, told The Telegraph that the team’s security budget this year had been doubled, and security detail planning has been ongoing for “more than a year”.  

“We know there are threats, but we don’t want to talk about it,” he said. “We try our best to make sure the athletes feel free but also safe and not afraid. We don’t want them to notice the security guards too much. We want them to feel confident so they can do their job,”

Lior Akerman, a former Shin Bet officer, told the Telegraph that agents will be “equipped with weapons and technologies” and will be assisted by local security and police forces.

Shin Bet will oversee athletes’ security “at every stage and place” from the moment of their arrival to the moment they board the plane back to Israel, Akerman said.

He said: “Of course, it is not possible to go into detail about the security methods, but the combination of Israeli experience and knowledge together with the cooperation with local security forces, provides an excellent and complete answer to the security of the delegation.”  

The Israeli team will not be avoiding any events or places and is planning on going about the games as normal, according to officials.  

A former Shin Bet chief, Yaakov Peri, also told the Telegraph that the operation is “one of the toughest security challenges” any Israeli delegation has faced in the country’s history, and that Israeli security agents are likely already in Paris “checking the ground”.

“The threat against the team can come from anywhere,” Peri said, “there is no doubt that there’s a danger. It can be Hamas or other terrorists, but Iran is behind almost everything. And France is of particular concern due to the level of antisemitism there,”

The Israel-Hamas war has since October caused threats against Jews and Israelis in Europe to skyrocket, with Israel claiming to have foiled “dozens” of attacks against Israelis abroad in recent months.  

On Friday, French police arrested an alleged Hamas-supporting man on terrorist charges after he attempted to murder a taxi driver.

The Israeli government has repeatedly issued warnings to Israeli citizens against travelling abroad since October 7 due to a “growing threat” from Iran, Hamas, and other Jihadi groups who “vigorously promote attacks against Israelis and Jews.”

France is considered a “category 2” country by Israeli security officials, meaning there is a “potential threat” for Israelis visiting the country and taking “increased precautionary measures” is recommended.

A ceremony, the date and location of which are not yet known, to commemorate the Munich Massacre will be commemorated during the Olympics this year, French media reported. 

https://www.thejc.com/news/world/multiple-belgian-cities-refuse-to-host-football-match-against-israel-citing-security-concerns-qqy2mfw5       

https://www.thejc.com/news/world/largest-ever-security-efforts-underway-as-israeli-olympic-athletes-receive-death-threats-ahead-of-their-arrival-in-paris-jfx2ewi2