By Fatos Bytyci
PRISTINA (Reuters) – A win for the Israeli national soccer team over Kosovo in their European Championship qualifier on Sunday would bring a bit of happiness to the people of Israel, captain Eli Dasa said on Saturday.
Israel arrived in Kosovo on Friday to play their first game since the attack by Hamas militants on Oct. 7. The match was planned for Oct. 15 but delayed because of the conflict.
“We are not afraid, we are the people of Israel,” Dasa told a press conference in Pristina.
“The chances exist at the moment to achieve a big goal, which will give a little bit of happiness to our people.”
Heavy police presence was seen around the stadium in Pristina and special units escorted the team from the hotel for the training session. More special units were deployed around the team’s hotel in the outskirts of the capital.
On their way to airport in Israel on Friday, the team had to run out of the bus and seek shelter from possible rocket fire.
“Nothing will stop us on our way to Euro 2024,” the federation wrote on X, formerly Twitter, showing videos of players seeking cover where sirens could be heard in the background.
Kosovo police said in a statement it has prepared an operation to control possible crowds, stopping criminal acts and other activities.
Although largely secular, Kosovo is more than 90% Muslim. Many supporters of Palestine’s cause have commented on social media calling for Kosovo to ban the Israeli team from entering the country.
“Having thousands of people in the stadium in a time of war in Israel is one of the most challenging security operations we have to carry,” a Kosovo senior police official told Reuters.
Israel recognised Kosovo as a sovereign state back in 2020 and both countries have established diplomatic relations.
Kosovo’s move to open its embassy in Jerusalem was not welcomed by many other Muslim countries that have good relations with Kosovo.
Israel are third in Group I of the qualifying phase for Euro 2024, behind Romania and Switzerland. The team are aiming to reach their first European Championship since becoming a full UEFA member in 1994.
(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci,; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
