Israel sending Shin Bet operatives to France to protect its Olympic athletes

Around 88 Israeli athletes and their teams will be protected by Shin Bet due to alleged security concerns. However, not all will have a personal bodyguard, the Jewish Chronicle reported on Sunday.

Israel has been preparing the security details for the Olympics for “more than a year”, doubling the team’s security budget this year, Israel’s Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar told the Telegraph.

Former Shin Bet officer Lior Akerman also told the Telegraph that agents will be “equipped with weapons and technologies” and will receive support from local security and police forces.

According to Akerman, Shin Bet will manage the athletes’ security “at every stage and place”, from their arrival until they board the plane returning to Israel.

Israeli athletes have received threatening online messages in poorly written Hebrew, Israeli broadcaster Walla reported over the weekend. As many as 15 athletes and their teams are said to have received similar death threats via email, warning of fatal consequences if they came to France.

This comes amid growing calls from activists, politicians, and athletes demanding Israel’s expulsion from the world’s biggest sporting event, set to take place from July 26 to August 11.

Israel has continued its offensive on Gaza since an October 7 attack by Hamas. Nearly 39,000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 89,700 injured, according to local health authorities.

France’s interior minister also stated on Monday Israeli athletes will receive 24-hour protection during the Paris Olympics.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said in a TV interview Israeli athletes would be protected around the clock during the Games, which begin on Friday.

At a pro-Gaza rally on Saturday, far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party lawmaker Thomas Portes was filmed saying Israel’s Olympic athletes were not welcome in France, and that there should be protests against their taking part in the Games.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne told a meeting of European Union counterparts in Brussels: “I want to say that on behalf of France, to the Israeli delegation, we welcome you to France for these Olympic Games.”