Israeli nationwide crew arrives in Kosovo for soccer sport underneath tight safety measures

PRISTINA, Kosovo — Israel’s nationwide soccer crew arrived in Kosovo on Friday amid tight safety measures on the airport forward of a postponed European Championship qualifier.

The crew’s two buses had been accompanied by a number of police automobiles and armed officers because it left the airport.

There was additionally tight safety on the lodge the place the crew was staying forward of Sunday’s sport. Law enforcement officials created a safety perimeter on the lodge that the general public and journalists weren’t allowed to cross.

The Israeli soccer federation posted video on X, previously often known as Twitter, displaying gamers getting off the crew bus on its technique to the airport in Israel to take cowl by the roadside, apparently amid close by rocket fireplace.

“Nothing will cease us on our technique to Euro 2024,” the federation wrote.

It’s the first match Israel performs for the reason that Oct. 7 assault by Hamas and the continuing conflict in Gaza. It had initially been scheduled for Oct. 15.

Israel is third in Group I of Euro 2024 qualifying, behind Romania and Switzerland however with two video games in hand. It has by no means certified for a European Championship since becoming a member of UEFA in 1994, and can now need to play 4 video games in 10 days because it seeks to take action.

Kosovo and Israel determined to ascertain diplomatic ties at a Kosovo-Serbia summit in america, held on the White Home in September 2020 by then-U.S. President Donald Trump.

Kosovo was the primary European nation, and the primary nation with a Muslim majority, to ascertain its embassy in Jerusalem as an alternative of Tel Aviv, following the U.S. and Guatemala.

Israel is the latest nation to have acknowledged Kosovo after Pristina’s Parliament declared independence from Serbia in 2008.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer