French university rejects Gaza student over ‘hateful' online posts
Authorities did not release the content of the messages but screenshots shown on social media indicated the young woman had reposted messages calling for the death of Jewish people.
Israel is seeking to crush the Islamist militant movement Hamas through a devastating offensive in Gaza after the group launched deadly attacks on Israel in 2023.
The woman had been offered a place at the Sciences Po Lille university following a recommendation by the French consulate in Jerusalem, the establishment said.
Sciences Po Lille said that after consultations with the education ministry and regional authorities it 'has decided to cancel this student's planned registration at our establishment.'
Some of the posts 'come into direct contradiction with the values upheld by Sciences Po Lille, which fights against all forms of racism, antisemitism and discrimination, as well as against any type of incitement to hatred, against any population whatsoever,' the university added in a post on X.
Accounts in the woman's name have been closed.
Following the recommendation by French diplomats, the woman initially lived at the home of the university's director while she waited for permanent lodgings, Sciences Po said.
French ministers have demanded an investigation into the case.
'A Gazan student making antisemitic remarks has no place in France,' said Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who added that he had ordered an internal inquiry.
'The screening carried out by the relevant departments of the ministries concerned clearly did not work,' he added in a post on X.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said he had demanded the closure of the 'hateful' account and ordered local authorities to take legal action.
'Hamas propagandists have no place in our country,' Retailleau said on X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Heathrow unveils £49 bn expansion plan for third runway
London's Heathrow Airport on Friday unveiled a £49 billion ($65 billion) expansion plan, including the costs of building a long-awaited third runway, approved by the UK government after years of legal wrangling. The runway would cost £21 billion, with flights expected to take off within a decade, while the rest of the privately funded investment will go toward expanding and modernizing the airport. Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport by passenger numbers, said the expansion would provide at least 30 new daily routes, more domestic connections and improved flight times. The increased capacity would almost double the number of annual passengers from 84 million currently to up to 150 million passengers annually. 'It has never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow,' said chief executive Thomas Woldbye. 'We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity,' he added. Despite fierce opposition from environmentalists and local residents, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and some Labour MPs, the Labour government backed the new runway in January in a bid to boost UK economic growth. It would be a rare expansion in Europe, where countries are split between efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the needs of a strategic sector that has seen demand grow. Heathrow has submitted its proposal for the 3,500-meter runway to the UK government, which has also invited a rival proposal. Heathrow's proposal includes £12 billion to fund a new terminal and £15 billion for modernization. 'A third runway and supporting infrastructure can be ready within a decade, and the full investment across all terminals would take place over the coming decades,' Heathrow said in a statement. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is determined to deliver major infrastructure projects to revive the UK economy that has struggled to take off since the party came to power a year ago. The government is expected to also back expansion at Gatwick Airport, south of the capital, in October — having recently approved upgrades to London's Stansted, Luton and City airports. Britain's Supreme Court ruled at the end of 2020 that Heathrow could build the third runway, overturning a legal decision to block construction on environmental grounds. Local residents 'will see their lives put on hold for a few more years while more money and time is wasted on a doomed scheme,' said Douglas Parr, policy director for Greenpeace UK. He added the plans 'export more tourism wealth out of the UK in the most polluting way possible.' Arora Group, one of Heathrow's largest landowners, on Thursday said it will submit a rival bid to build a shorter third runway, promising lower costs and less disruption to local residents and the environment. 'This is the first time the government has invited a competing proposal for Heathrow expansion,' the UK-based property and hotel firm said in a statement. British Airways owner IAG's chief executive Luis Gallego said the rival bid was 'credible' as the group announced its net profit jumped 44 percent to 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in the first six months of the year on 'strong demand.' 'We always think that competition is good to improve things, and we have seen that in commercial aviation in the past,' he added. Airport-owner Heathrow's latest investment proposal comes in addition to plans to invest £10 billion over the next five years in upgrades to boost passenger numbers, which would be largely funded by higher charges on airlines.
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
France to halt Gaza arrivals pending probe into student's antisemitic posts
France will suspend its program to receive Palestinians from conflict-torn Gaza pending the outcome of an investigation into how a student accused of sharing antisemitic posts was allowed into the country, the French foreign minister said Friday. The move comes after officials said the female student from Gaza will have to leave France after the Sciences Po university in the northern city of Lille revoked her accreditation over the online posts. 'No evacuation of any kind will take place until we have drawn conclusions from this investigation,' Jean-Noël Barrot told Franceinfo radio. All Gazans who have entered France will undergo a second screening, he added. France has helped more than 500 people leave Gaza since the latest war between Hamas and Israel started, including wounded children, journalists, students and artists. The conflict, triggered by Hamas's murderous October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, has seen Israel retaliate with a deadly military campaign and an aid blockade in Gaza that some rights groups have qualified as 'genocide.' Lille's chief prosecutor told AFP on Thursday a probe had been opened against the student for allegedly trying to 'justify terrorism' and 'justify a crime against humanity.' Screenshots of posts the student allegedly shared in September — published by pro-Israel accounts on X — include an image of Adolf Hitler and words appearing to call for the death of Jews. The account attributed to the student has been taken offline, after French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau demanded it be closed down. A French diplomatic source said the student arrived in France on July 11 on a scholarship based on 'academic excellence' and after 'security checks.' AFP was not immediately able to reach the student for comment. The news agency is not identifying her at this stage of the investigation. 'She must leave the country,' the foreign minister confirmed, adding that discussions were ongoing to determine her destination.
Leaders
2 hours ago
- Leaders
Trump Criticizes Allies Over Palestinian State Recognition Plans
US President Donald Trump has voiced strong displeasure regarding the intentions of France, the United Kingdom, and Canada to recognize a Palestinian State in September, according to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Recent announcements from some of Washington's closest allies have intensified Trump's opposition to this move. Trump specifically criticized Canada for its announcement to recognize Palestinian statehood during a United Nations meeting scheduled for September. He expressed frustration over this decision, viewing it as a significant misstep. In contrast, he adopted a more measured tone when addressing French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Macron's Statement Lacks Impact Trump dismissed Macron's recent statement, which initiated discussions among other countries about recognizing Palestine. He stated that Macron's comments 'do not matter' and 'don't carry much weight.' This dismissal reflects Trump's broader skepticism about the effectiveness of such diplomatic gestures. This week, Starmer announced that the UK would formally recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes 'substantive' actions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. Following a trip to Scotland and discussions with Starmer, Trump responded, saying he was 'not in that camp, to be honest.' According to Leavitt, Trump has become increasingly critical of the push for recognition. He believes that recognizing a Palestinian state rewards Hamas, which he identifies as the primary obstacle to achieving a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages. Short link :
