Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu met with the national football team ahead of Wednesday’s start of the UEFA under-21 championship in Israel, as he defied continued protests over the choice of Israel as host nation for the eight-side competition, insisting that it “is important for a country that loves sports”.
“The achievement of the tournament is that it is happening in the State of Israel”, he added, as he praised the national team for reflecting Israel’s own mixed religious demographic, as it “represents all parts of the population of Israeli society that has united to play together on behalf of the country”.
Last month, anti-Israel protesters infiltrated a high-level meeting of celebrities and football officials at the UEFA Congress dinner in London, when two men and one woman took to the stage to shout slogans in protest at the staging of UEFA’s European Under-21 Championship in Israel.
European football governing body UEFA confirmed the three demonstrators were arrested by police, after one brandished a Palestinian flag behind UEFA President Michel Platini’s seat, in support of the boycott of Israel BDS movement.
It has not been revealed how the protesters were able to by-pass stringent security measures employed for the event, at which David Beckham and outgoing Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson were present, but they may have been from the group Red Card Israeli Racism, which staged an earlier demonstration outside the central London hotel where the event was staged earlier in the day.
A police spokesman confirmed a man and a woman were detained in custody, with the man being held “on suspicion of aggravated trespass and the woman on suspicion of aggravated trespass and assault”.
Echoing Netanyahu’s sentiments, Israel Football Association Chairman Luzon thanked the Premier for “the understanding that this tournament is of national importance and will greatly help the State of Israel's public diplomacy overseas by showing a beautiful Israel that loves sports”.
“I invite Israelis to come to the stadiums and enjoy a unique football experience,” he added.
The tournament will begin Wednesday night with Israel’s first group stage match against Norway being staged at the Netanya Municipal Stadium, followed by England’s opener against Italy at the Itzadion Bloomfield stadium in Tel Aviv.