The Japan Times - France to play Israel in Paris and allow fans in

Israel has been at war with Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas since the latter staged the deadliest-ever attack on Israel on October 7 last year.

Since then, Israel's national team have played all their home games in Hungary. Their first away game in the Nations League, against Belgium, was also moved to Hungary and played behind closed doors in Debrecen after Brussels announced that it was "impossible to organise this very high-risk match".

The Belgian football federation (RBFA) said it could not find a domestic alternative "given that in Belgium, no local administration deemed it possible to organise the Red Devils' home match against Israel".

Italy, however, decided it could host Monday's Nations League match against Israel in the northern city of Udine with fans in attendance

The city was placed on high alert, with the area around the stadium cordoned off by barriers, extra security checks and an off-limits "red zone" created some 48 hours before kick-off.

But the drastically increased levels of security, including police brought in from neighbouring region and soldiers on the stadium roof, and blaring headlines in local media about a "bunker city" were out of step with the largely relaxed atmosphere around Udine.

Hours before the match pro-Palestine demonstrators -- estimated by police to be around 2,000 people -- marched through central Udine flanked by a huge numbers of police.

In the sparsely-populated stadium, the majority of fans replied to weak jeers from some home fans of the pre-match Israel team announcement by breaking out into a round of applause in support of their guests.

The crowd did the same for Israel's national anthem, although there were some whistles while a small section of Italy supporters stayed seated until their own nation's anthem.

France are second in Group A2 behind Italy, who they visit in their last match. Victory over Israel would ensure a place in the quarter-finals for Les Bleus.

S.Suzuki--JT