The meeting between Kosovo and Israel was initially scheduled for October 15, during the last international break. Postponed during the first days of the war between Israel and Hamas, it will finally be held this Sunday, more than a month after the bloody attack perpetrated by Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7.
In Pristina, capital of Kosovo, the reception of the Israeli selection was for a time considered behind closed doors by the Kosovo Federation (FFK). But following a meeting with UEFA, the return will be held “in the presence of the public”, indicated the president of the FFK, Agim Ademi.
In view of this meeting, reinforced security measures have been put in place by the authorities. Some 14,000 tickets were put on sale for this match scheduled for 8:45 p.m. All these tickets are “personalized” and each spectator must present an identity document before being able to enter the Fadil-Vokrri stadium.
In recent weeks, several demonstrations in support of Palestinians in Gaza have taken place in Pristina. Also, messages related to Sunday’s meeting were shared on social networks, denouncing the Israeli bombings and sometimes calling for the cancellation of the match, without provoking official reactions. But residents of the capital also paid tribute to the Israeli victims.
Although the vast majority of the 1.8 million Kosovars are Muslim, the country maintains good diplomatic relations with Israel. It is also a very close ally of the United States, Israel’s first political and military partner but also a great supporter of the independence proclaimed in 2008 by the former Serbian province. In February 2021, Israel itself recognized the independence of Kosovo. A recognition which made it possible to open an embassy in Jerusalem a month later, Kosovo becoming the first Muslim-majority country to recognize the holy city as the capital of Israel.
Supporters call for calm
Will this be enough to ease tensions ahead of this Sunday’s match? As the match approached, the main group of supporters of the Kosovar national team, the “Dardanet”, mobilized in any case to prevent the appearance of possible offensive messages like those which appeared on the social networks. He also called on his members and the entire public to focus on “supporting the national team”. “By respecting the rules, we respect our country,” the group added.
If the residents interviewed by AFP defend the holding of this meeting, recent history nevertheless calls for caution. In November 2016, the Kosovar police, in cooperation with their Albanian and Macedonian counterparts, foiled an attack against the Israeli selection and its supporters before a qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup in Albania.
In May 2018, eight Islamists arrested during this operation, most of them Kosovo Albanians, were sentenced by a court in Pristina to sentences of up to ten years in prison.
On the sporting side, the stakes of the match are much lower. Fourth in Group I dominated by Romania, Kosovo (7 points) has little chance of qualifying for Euro 2024, just like Israel, third with 11 points.
