Israel’s Olympic delegation on Monday, set off for Paris, comprising 88 athletes, despite facing calls for a boycott from demonstrators, activists, and a French parliament member due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Prior to their departure, protests urged the Israeli team to refrain from participating.
However, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne assured, “The Israeli athletes were welcome in France.”
At Ben Gurion Airport, Yael Arad, president of the Israel Olympic Committee, emphasized the significance of their participation, “Our first victory is that we are here and going (to the Olympics) and that we didn’t give up and have been competing in hundreds of competitions since October 7,” referencing the date of the Hamas-led attacks that ignited the current war.
In response to the heightened global tensions, French organizers have intensified security measures in Paris, implementing strict protocols for the Israeli delegation.
