Israel’s Olympic team, under 24-hour protection due to death threats and protests, is the focus of the largest-ever security operation for Israeli athletes at the Olympic Games.

The 88-member delegation has arrived at Paris and begins its quest for gold medals on Wednesday when the men’s soccer team competes in the Olympic Games for the first time since 1976. The soccer team and all other Israeli athletes will reportedly receive round-the-clock protection from local security and police forces in France along with Israel’s Security Agency Shin Bet.

Israel’s Culture and Sport Minister, Miki Zohar, told the Daily Telegraph the security budget to protect the Israeli Olympic team is double from previous Olympics to guard against increased threats against Jews and Israelis as a result of Israel’s war with Hamas that began after the October 7 attacks by Hamas. “We know there are threats, but we don’t want to talk about it,” Mr. Zohar told the Telegraph.

Security around the Israeli delegation is heightened in light of the ongoing war and rising opposition to Israel’s participation in the 2024 Olympic Games at Paris. The Jerusalem Post reported more than a dozen Israeli athletes had received death threats through email and social media if they appeared in France. Israeli team members, according to the Post, also received threats of a repeat of the 1972 Olympic Games at Munich where 11 Israelis were taken hostage and murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group.

Protests over Israel’s presence at the Paris Olympics intensified over the weekend when a far-left France Unbowed party lawmaker, Thomas Portes, said, “Israeli athletes are not welcome at the Olympic Games.”

The Palestine Olympic Committee, which is sending six athletes to the Summer Games, also called for a ban on participation by Israeli athletes.

Opening ceremonies are scheduled for Friday, but soccer competitions begin on Wednesday. Israel meets Mali in Group D play. It should be a celebration of Israel’s return to Olympic soccer competition for the first time since the 1976 Montreal Olympics. The Israeli Olympic soccer team is made up largely of players who competed in the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina where Israel captured a bronze medal and the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Georgia-Romania where the Israelis reached the semifinals to secure its spot in the Olympics.

After nearly two decades of little notoriety, soccer began its return to prominence in Israel after being accepted into the UEFA in 1994 and competing in the UEFA Champions League. That began a consistent upgrade in facilities, coaching, training, and technology that has led to a return to the Olympics.

Sports is normally a distraction during a time of distress, but Israel’s presence in the Olympics is connected to October 7 and the ensuing war through political rhetoric and personal experience.  Israel’s Olympic team honored the hostages by having family and friends announce the roster for the Summer Games. 

“We’ll do everything to represent the country in light of everything that is happening now,” Israeli Olympic Coach Guy Louzon told i24 News. “Whatever happens we aren’t the heroes. The real heroes are our soldiers, the hostages that are fighting for their lives at this very moment deep underground in the tunnels, those wounded in the war to whom I wish a full recovery, and of course to the bereaved families who are coping with the biggest suffering.”

Later he added, “The Israeli people deserve a medal.”

The 90 members of the Israeli team at the 2021 Tokyo Games took home four medals, two gold and two bronze. The 88 members of the 2024 team — 54 men and 34 women — will compete in 16 different sports.

Artem Dolgopyat, who won gold at Tokyo in the Men’s Floor Routine Gymnastics, will defend his gold medal at Paris. Raz Herhsko and Inbar Lanir are medal contenders in Judo. Avishag Semberg is a medal contender in Taekwondo. Anastasia Gorbenko and Andi Murez are Israel’s best hopes for a medal in swimming, according to SportsRabbi.com.

Israel’s all-around gymnastic team of Ofir Shaham, Romi Paritzki, Shani Bakanov, Adar Freidmann, and Diana Svertsov is also hoping to bring home a medal.

Marathoners Lonah Chemtai Salpeter and Maru Teferi also could medal, along with Blessing Afrifah in the 200-meter competition.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian athletes will compete in boxing, judo, taekwondo, shooting, and swimming with little hope of earning a medal. Palestinian sports officials told Reuters more than 300 athletes, referees, and sports officials have been killed since the October 7 attacks, and all sports facilities in Gaza are demolished.