ALBAWABA - When the Israeli national anthem began to play before Italy and Israel's UEFA Nations League match, Italian supporters turned their backs on the pitch and chanted anti-Israeli sentiments.
This protest gesture, which is well-known in the football community, was used in response to Israel's ongoing military assault on Gaza, which started on October 7, 2023.
The event has caused fury in Italy as well as Israel, according to reports from The Jerusalem Post, an Israeli publication. The demonstration organizers have been recognized by Italian media sources, and it has been disclosed that they are members of a far-right organization.
The response has caused division; Italian parliamentarian Alfredo Antonuzzi has demanded that the supporters participating be taken into custody and prosecuted. But Alessandro Di Battista, a lawmaker, defended the demonstrators on Facebook, saying, "The fans did the right thing."
The actual game took place in the "Puskás Aréna" in Hungary, where Italy defeated Israel 2-1 in the end. Israel has had to utilize neutral sites like the Hungarian stadium to hold international matches because of security concerns resulting from the continuing violence in the area. The UEFA Nations League competition's second round included this match.
