The French government officially announced a complete suspension of the evacuation program for Palestinians from the Gaza Strip after a scandal involving anti-Semitic statements. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed the temporary halt of all refugee reception activities.
At the center of the conflict is a 25-year-old Palestinian student who was a scholarship recipient at the Sciences Po school in the city of Lille. According to official reports, the young woman published online comments with pronounced anti-Semitic content, which immediately triggered a sharp reaction from the institutions.
Sciences Po University categorically distanced itself from her statements, emphasizing that they are in complete contradiction with the values of the educational institution. As a direct consequence, the student was expelled from the university and ordered to leave the territory of France.
Interior Minister Bruno Retaillot called for immediate legal action, firmly stating that "Hamas propagandists have no place in the country". This incident raised questions about the previous security procedures for selecting evacuees.
Before this incident, France had managed to evacuate over 500 Palestinians from the area of military operations that began after the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. Now all remaining evacuees will undergo additional checks.
Jean-Noel Barrot admitted that there are serious gaps in the initial checks performed by state services and Israeli authorities. None of the initial checks managed to identify the problematic anti-Semitic attitudes of the student.
The scandal poses serious challenges to diplomatic efforts for humanitarian support of Palestinians. French authorities are faced with the delicate task of balancing humanitarian aid and national security.
A key point is also the fact that the student arrived in France in July and was supposed to start her studies in the autumn. Her premature removal demonstrates zero tolerance for anti-Semitic manifestations.
This incident unfolds against a backdrop of growing tension around the Palestinian issue and another escalation of the conflict in the region. The French government shows that it will take firm measures against any forms of hate speech.