Quite a symbol. In the presidential gallery, the head of state and Israeli Ambassador Joshua Zarka sit side by side. They talk to each other “a lot,” notes one of their neighbors. In the same row, a swarm of bodyguards of the diplomat of the Jewish state took their place among the officials. This France-Israel match is fraught with political and security issues.
Arriving on site a few minutes before kick-off, Emmanuel Macron – accompanied by Michel Barnier – greeted everyone present one by one: notably Nicolas Sarkozy, Xavier Bertrand and former Prime Minister Manuel Valls, in deep discussion. François Hollande, unaccustomed to punctuality, arrives on the line.
A little before 8:45 p.m., when the Israeli anthem resonates in the sparse stadium, everyone hears the whistles. But act like nothing. “People came to watch the match out of duty,” says a personality. This is not going to solve the problems. There is even an absurd side, but it was necessary to show seriousness. » Valérie Pécresse made the trip, as did the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet. “I was told about a fight,” slips a spectator, alerted by a friend.
“It looks like a match in Monaco”
“I am so sad to see so few people,” laments the boss of the PS senators Patrick Kanner. The atmosphere and the calls for a boycott made people afraid, it’s terrible for an international match, sport is not about exclusion. » A mayor quips: “it looks like a match in Monaco, a lot of people in the official stand and not many people in the public”. “It’s armored in the presidential stand,” confirms one present. The singer Amir appears nearby.
At half-time, Nicolas Sarkozy and TV host Arthur have a long discussion aside. While Emmanuel Macron and Michel Barnier join the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau who follows the event from the security PC. “There is still the second half and the evening, thank you for your mobilization and for being on the alert,” the president said to the teams managing security.
Several deputies are there: the Macronists Karl Olive and Caroline Yadan, the socialist Jérôme Guedj. We also distinguish the Minister of Sports Gil Avérous and of European Affairs Benjamin Haddad. The secretary general of the Élysée Alexis Kohler is seated near Manuel Valls. “We talk a lot among ourselves about the political situation, we come back to the rise of LFI, which is blowing over the embers. We also talk about tensions between Barnier’s allies, says an elected official. It must be said that the level of the match is so low that we have to take care of things differently. “.
