Udine is on high alert as Italy hosts Israel in the Nations League

UDINE, Italy (AP) — Italy's game against Israel on Monday featured snipers on the roof of the stadium and a heavy police presence throughout the city of Udine.

In the end, both the game and an earlier pro-Palestine demonstration passed without incident as Italy beat Israel 4-1 in the Nations League.

Udine was on high alert as the game was played against the backdrop of ongoing events Conflict in the Middle East which has spread to Lebanon after more than a year of war in the Gaza Strip.

It was the first game Israel played outside neutral Hungary this year. After Israel-Hamas war The national football team started on October 7 last year and played in Kosovo and Andorra last November.

All of Israel's games since then have been played in Hungary, including last month's game against Belgium in the Nations League Belgian Football Association refused to host the game for security reasons.

“We will play this game in the hope of convincing more people of the wrongness of the war,” said Italy coach Luciano Spalletti. “There are many Israelis who don’t want this, and we need to convince more and more people that this is something that has to stop.”

When Spalletti's team played their “away” game against Israel in Hungary last month, there was a group of about 50 Italy fans dressed all in black turned his back on them in apparent protest during the Israeli national anthem.

When the Israeli anthem was played on Monday, there were boos from some fans in Udine, but the rest of the stadium tried to drown it out with loud applause – just like when the Israeli team was read out. At least one Palestinian flag was flown.

There was a highly visible group of about a dozen Israel fans loudly chanting their support.

Fewer than 12,000 tickets were sold for Monday's game – less than half the capacity of the 25,000-seat Stadio Friuli – despite tight security measures that included armed military personnel on the stadium's roof.

Areas around the stadium were closed and declared a “red zone” 48 hours before kick-off, and only fans with tickets could pass through the tall metal barriers. Due to the strict controls, fans were strongly advised to arrive early.

Hundreds of additional police officers were called in from surrounding areas.

Around 1,000 people previously took part in a pro-Palestine demonstration in the city center. Among the posters were several posters calling on football associations to ban Israel.

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