Israel-Hamas war looms over Olympics

Israel’s war against Hamas looms over the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, that began this week.

The Israeli delegation of about 90 athletes is under significant law enforcement protection due to threats made against them, which Israeli officials have said come from Iran and other terrorist groups. There were also calls ahead of the Olympics to ban the Israeli delegation from competing, which were denied.

Earlier this week, a hard-left French politician, Thomas Portes, told a pro-Palestinian audience in Paris that the Israeli delegation “is not welcome in Paris,” which was condemned by Israeli leaders, as well as members of his own government.

Yonathan Arfi, the head of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, accused Portes of “putting a target on the backs of Israeli athletes,” while French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin expressed his “disgust” at the comment.

There have been several arrests already this week, including the arrest of a Russian chef on the grounds that he was plotting a “large-scale project,” and seven people “suspected of participation in a terrorist group’s activities, financing of terrorism and preparation of a terrorist attack,” according to Belgian authorities, which noted they may not have been planning to attack the Olympics.

Darmanin also noted that about 1,000 people had been blocked from attending the Olympics due to concerns they may be meddling on behalf of a foreign power.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with French President Emmanuel Macron and thanked him for “ensuring the ability of the excellent Israeli delegation to compete proudly and fairly at the Olympic Games.”

On Friday, ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony, arsonists started fires along various points of France’s high-speed rail network far from the capital in an apparent coordinated attack. French authorities have not indicated who they believe is behind the fires.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the operation was “planned and executed under the influence of Ian’s axis of evil and radical Islam,” and he noted that he warned his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne that, “based on information held by Israel, Iranians are planning terrorist attacks against the Israeli delegation and all Olympic participants. Increased preventive measures must be taken to thwart their plot. The free world must stop Iran now – before it’s too late.”

Several Israeli officials have warned that Iran could be plotting an attack.

“Iran is exploiting an apolitical international sporting competition to promote digital terrorism against Israel and its right to participate in these competitions,” Israel’s National Cyber Directorate chief Gabi Portnoy said Thursday.

The war between Israel and Hamas has soured many of Israel’s relationships globally and has resulted in protests all over the world.

The anti-Israel sentiment was on display when the fans attending the Israel-Mali soccer game on Wednesday booed and jeered during the national anthem. The boos continued during the game each time the Israeli team touched the ball.

Looming over the Olympic Games are the Israeli scars from 1972, when eight members of the Palestinian militant group known as Black September stormed the Olympic Village in Germany and killed 11 Israelis and one German police officer.

Advocates who believe Israel’s delegation shouldn’t have been allowed to compete argue the International Olympic Committee is upholding a double standard because Russian and Belarusian athletes are being forced to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

As the Olympics begin, the world is waiting to see whether Israel and Hamas are able to come to a ceasefire agreement that would stop the fighting, which would allow for a significant surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza as well as the release of the roughly 100 hostages that remain in Gaza.

The families of those hostages have been critical of Israeli leaders whom they feel are dragging their feet on a deal that could secure the release of their loved ones.

Herzog told the Israeli Olympic delegation, “somewhere out there in Gaza, it could be that one of the hostages will see you for a second, and you will give them strength … this year we want to see the flag of Israel in every arena everywhere in the world.”

His comments angered Einav Zangauker, whose son was kidnapped from his home on Kibbutz Nir Oz, said, “Matan’s heart does not warm to see the president of the country normalizing the holding of hostages for the benefit of the Olympics, and the same goes for the women who are being sexually abused and all the other captive.”