Thousands of people demonstrated on Wednesday, November 13 in Paris against a gala in support of the controversial Israel that would be held in the afternoon, in a secret location in the French capital, on the eve of a France-Israel agreement considered final. very high risk.
The “Israel is forever” celebration, organized by Franco-Israeli far-right figures, sparked outrage due to the participation of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, known for his extremist positions.
He was initially supposed to make the trip in person, but his spokesperson eventually mentioned speaking remotely, failing to appease the anger of the French pro-Palestinian associations, unions and left-wing parties he represents. “the figure of the most fanatical religious Zionism” but also the “racism and [la] hate”.
“Smotrich’s murderer, Macron’s accomplice”protesters chanted against him in the procession of 3,000 people, according to the police, which dispersed from the Place de la République. This week, Bezalel Smotrich promised an Israeli annexation of Israeli settlements in the West Bank in 2025.
France denounced the comments in March 2023 “irresponsible” of this Israeli Finance Minister who then denied the existence of Palestinians as individuals and as a people, during an evening organized by the same association in Paris.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has once again “sentenced” Wednesday the statements of this minister, judging them “contrary to international law” and going “against efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions”.
In addition to the slogans against Bezalel Smotrich, the demonstrators protested more generally against the policies followed by the Israeli government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. “Liberate Palestine”, “Israel get out of here, Palestine is not yours”protesters chanted.
For fear of excesses, a McDonald’s – one of its restaurants was attacked by protesters who damaged a window – and a Carrefour establishment had lowered their iron curtains with customers inside, journalists from the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The Paris police chief, Laurent Núñez, interviewed on RTL radio, did not prohibit this gala, considering that it did not present a risk of disturbing public order. “important”. AFP journalists did not observe any disturbances shortly after 8pm at the alleged venue of the gala.
On the eve of a “high risk” match
This gala is also held on the eve of the Nations League football match between France and Israel scheduled at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, considered the “high risk” by the French authorities, after the anti-Semitic attacks that occurred the week of November 4 to 10 in the Dutch capital. On the night of November 7-8, after a Europa League match, Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were chased and beaten in the streets of Amsterdam.
For the match on Thursday afternoon, in the presence of President Emmanuel Macron, the French authorities have planned a system “extremely reinforced”, “very unusual” for a match of this type. A total of 4,000 police and gendarmes will be mobilized, exceptionally, in the stadium, as well as on public transport and throughout Paris.
Around 1,600 security officers will be at the Stade de France and RAID, the elite unit of the national police, is committed to the security of the Israel team.
