A demonstrator waving a Palestinian flag and a demonstrator unfurling a Lebanese flag are seen as hundreds of demonstrators gather with banners and flags on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists [Getty]
French pro-Palestine protesters rallied in Paris on Thursday evening to urge the cancellation of an upcoming gala event featuring far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
The protest took place at Trocadero Square, drawing a crowd of prominent French leftist politicians and activist groups calling on French authorities to block the “Israel is Forever” event, scheduled for 13 November.
Attendees displayed Palestinian and Lebanese flags and held banners reading “The West is responsible for the genocide in Gaza” and “Boycott Israeli Apartheid”.Â
Among the attendees was Mathilde Panot, president of La France Insoumise, who addressed the crowd and later said on X that “the gala of shame must be banned”. Â
“A genocidaire will NEVER be welcome in France,” Panot said.
According to a charity website promoting the “Israel is Forever” event, the gathering is described as an initiative to amplify “Jewish sovereignty over the integrity of the Land of Israel”.
The planned appearance of Smotrich—a politician who has called the starvation of Gaza’s population “justified and moral”—has further inflamed opposition to the event. Â
In August, the French Foreign Ministry condemned Smotrich’s comments and urged Israel to denounce such remarks, underscoring that Israel must comply with the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) January ruling to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza.Â
The New Arab has reached out to the gala organisers and the French Foreign Ministry for comment.Â
Ahead of the gala, pro-Palestine activists have intensified efforts to prevent it from taking place, with a petition launched on 24 October on Change.org now nearing 15,000 signatures. Â
Addressed to France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the petition argues that the event “represents a major risk of possible incitement to hatred and disturbances to public order”.Â
Last month, Anadolureported that Thomas Portes, a lawmaker from the opposition France Unbowed party, formally requested that the Paris Police Department cancel Smotrich’s participation in the gala.Â
Imen, a representative of BDS France, told The New Arab that Thursday’s pro-Palestine protest drew a turnout of “several hundred” supporters, describing the event’s atmosphere as one charged with anger.
“People are frustrated that the French government has yet to ban Smotrich’s appearance,” she said.
“We are calling for sanctions against him, his ministry, and Israel itself. These individuals should not be allowed into Paris while they bear responsibility for acts of genocide.”
Imen criticised France’s approach as “hypocritical,” noting that while the foreign ministry condemned Smotrich’s inflammatory remarks, he has still been permitted to visit, despite his divisive rhetoric.
She further emphasised that her organisation has joined the growing chorus of opposition, stating in a recent statement to French authorities that Smotrich’s upcoming presence in the country represents “an insult to every citizen who shows solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
“As BDS France, we joined yesterday’s protest and will be present again with other organisations at the November 13 gathering in Paris to condemn this complicity,” Imen said.
