Israel’s Olympic team walked into the stadium during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday to a smattering of boos, while U.S. Vice President JD Vance received a similar reception at what had otherwise been an upbeat and festive celebration of the global winter sports extravaganza.
The four-person Israeli delegation, waving the country’s flag and smiling, marched into the San Siro stadium during the parade of participating countries with the boos quickly drowned out by the loud soundtrack.
Cheers for the large U.S. team quickly turned to boos when Vance was shown on the stadium’s big screen.
The chilly reception for Vance was not a surprise as political unrest in the U.S. over federal immigration enforcement has spilled into the Games’ host country and fueled protests against the policies of the Trump administration.
The backlash in Italy follows the disclosure that analysts linked to a branch under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would support the U.S. delegation during the Olympics, as is common at previous Games.
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Hundreds of people took to the streets of Milan earlier on Friday for “ICE OUT” protests.
In Cortina d’Ampezzo, where a simultaneous parade was held for athletes located in the mountain cluster, the U.S. team were cheered loudly and Israel’s athletes also earned some cheers.
In Predazzo, site of the ski jumping venue, there were some boos for the Israel team.
Israeli athletes said prior to the opening ceremony they were prepared for a potentially hostile reception following the war in Gaza.
Since the October start of a truce, Israeli fire has killed nearly 560 people, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health officials. Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli soldiers in the same period, Israeli authorities say.
“I’m prepared, they can do whatever they want,” Israeli skier Barnabas Szollos said ahead of the opening ceremony. “I just want to have a good race, fun race and do the best I can.”
Israel has a troubled history at the Olympics with 11 of its athletes killed during an attack by Palestinian militants at the Olympic village during the 1972 Munich Summer Games.
The International Olympic Committee long refused to pay tribute to them at subsequent Games’ opening ceremonies despite continued pressure from relatives and Israel.
They were finally remembered after 49 years, during the Tokyo Summer Olympics opening ceremony in 2021.
