The suspension of France's program for Palestinian evacuees arises from the case of a student accused of making antisemitic comments online, prompting a thorough investigation.
France Halts Gaza Evacuations Amid Antisemitism Controversy
France Halts Gaza Evacuations Amid Antisemitism Controversy
French authorities pause evacuations of Palestinians from Gaza as investigations into antisemitic remarks by a student unfold.
France has officially put a hold on its initiative to evacuate Palestinians fleeing from Gaza while an investigation into a specific case involving a 25-year-old student accused of making antisemitic remarks is underway. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced the suspension after the student's scholarship was revoked by her institution, Sciences Po Lille, following the revelation of her remarks on social media.
The implicated woman arrived in France in July and was expecting to begin her studies at the esteemed university this autumn. However, her comments, identified as being inconsistent with the values of the institution, led to her deregistration. In light of this incident, the French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has urged for her social media account to be shut down and for legal steps to be taken against her. He emphasized that "Hamas propagandists have no place in our country."
As part of the evaluation process for students who have come to France from Gaza, Palestinians already in the country will undergo "new checks" following what Retailleau termed as "failures that brought this young woman here." He criticized the security checks performed by state services and Israeli authorities for not catching the concerning remarks prior to her arrival.
To date, France has facilitated the evacuation of more than 500 people from Gaza since the escalation of conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023. The ongoing investigations have raised significant scrutiny toward the procedures in place for such evacuations.
