Israel's foreign minister, Israel Katz, warned his French counterpart on Thursday of a potential Iranian-backed plot to target Israeli athletes and tourists during the Paris Olympic Games.
Katz expressed concerns about the threat posed by Iranian terrorist proxies and other organizations seeking to attack members of the Israeli delegation and tourists during the Olympics.
The warning comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following Israel's military campaign in the Palestinian-run Gaza Strip, which was launched in retaliation against Hamas militants' deadly cross-border raid last October. This situation has raised significant security concerns for the Summer Olympics.
In a letter to French Minister Stephane Sejourne, seen by Reuters, Katz stated, “We currently have assessments regarding the potential threat posed by Iranian terrorist proxies and other terrorist organizations who aim to carry out attacks against members of the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists during the Olympics.” However, Katz did not detail any specific intelligence or threat against the Games.
The Iranian mission to the United Nations responded to the accusation, stating, “Terrorist acts have no place in the principles of resistance groups; lies and deceit cannot switch the roles of the plaintiff and the accused.” France's foreign ministry declined to comment on the matter.
France's vigilance against such threats is not unprecedented. In 2018, French authorities foiled a bomb plot on the outskirts of Paris, masterminded by an Iranian diplomat who was later convicted in Belgium.
On Friday, France will launch one of its largest peacetime security operations for the Games' opening ceremony in central Paris. The event will feature a parade along the River Seine with more than 6,000 athletes, and will be secured by 45,000 police officers and 10,000 soldiers.
Israel's delegation is expected to share a riverboat with Italian and Jamaican athletes, according to two sources familiar with the planning. Katz expressed gratitude to the French government for what he described as unprecedented security measures to ensure a safe Games.
The first major security test of the Games came during Israel's opening Olympic soccer match against Mali on Wednesday. The Israeli national anthem was initially booed, but those cries were soon drowned out. A few supporters waved Palestinian flags.
Israeli athletes will be escorted to and from events by elite tactical units and will receive 24-hour protection throughout the Olympics. Israel's internal security service, Shin Bet, is also involved in providing security.
Many Israelis still remember with horror the deaths of 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team in the 1972 Munich Olympics attack by the Palestinian militant group Black September.
