Thousands join pro-Palestinian protests in France
French trade unions, left-wing parties and pro-Palestinian activist groups called for a global weekend of protests against Israel's offensive in the territory.
They issued their rallying call before Israel on Friday launched a massive wave of strikes on Iran, raising fears of a prolonged conflict that experts say could engulf the region.
In Paris, where the largest march took place, police counted 9,000 demonstrators, while the CGT trade union and hard-left party France Unbowed (LFI) said 150,000 attended the gathering.
European Parliament member Rima Hassan called on supporters to "deviate, disobey and take all necessary actions to enforce international law, to put an end to genocide".
She recently spent three days in a detention centre in Israel after attempting to breach its blockade of Gaza on a boat with other activists.
Protesters on Saturday criticised France's stance on the conflict, branding it conciliatory or even "complicit" with the Israeli government.
"We don't want what is happening in Gaza to be silenced. Every day we hear that 30, 60 people have died. It has become routine, we don't see it anymore and I'm afraid that with what's happening with Iran, it will become even more invisible," said one protester, Eve, 63, who declined to give her last name.
Thousands of people also rallied in the cities of Marseille, Toulouse and Rennes.
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Since the collapse of a two-month ceasefire in March, Israel has intensified its operations in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas, the Palestinian militant group whose October 7, 2023 attack triggered the war.
Nearly 20 months into the war, negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal have failed to produce a breakthrough.
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Euronews
22 minutes ago
- Euronews
Macron reaffirms support for Greenland during visit ahead of G7 Summit
French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Greenland is 'not to be sold' nor 'to be taken' in a key visit Sunday to the strategic Arctic territory coveted by US President Donald Trump, saying he's conveying a message of French and European solidarity. Macron expressed strong criticism of Trump's intention to take control of the territory. "The situation in Greenland is clearly a wakeup call for all Europeans. Let me tell you very directly that you're not alone," Macron said during a press conference. "And when a strategic message is sent to you, I want just for you to know that it's clearly perceived by the Europeans as targeting a European land. And this flag you have here is our common flag," he added. Sunday's symbolic stop to Greenland comes as the French leader is on his way to a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations in Canada that will be also attended by Trump. Macron was greeted in Nuuk, the territory's capital, by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Asked whether France would be ready to militarily support Greenland if Trump was to decide to invade, Macron declined to discuss the hypothesis. 'I won't start elaborating on 'what if' scenarios publicly,' he said. 'Because I don't believe that in the end, the US, which is an ally and a friend, would ever do something aggressive against another ally.' The French president has positioned himself as a leader in Europe amid Trump's threats to pull support from Ukraine as it fights against Russia's invasion. Macron hosted a summit in Paris with other European heads of state to discuss Kyiv, as well as security issues on the continent. On Sunday, Macron, Frederiksen and Nielsen held a meeting on a Danish helicopter carrier, showing France's concerns over security issues in the region. Macron also called for more joint military exercises with Nordic and Baltic countries, Canada, and even the United States, aimed at strengthening security in Greenland and across the Arctic region. All three then headed to a fast-melting glacier where they watched the consequences of climate change. The visit also allowed them to discuss economic development, low-carbon energy transition and critical minerals. 'It's a strange time for us in Greenland,' Nielsen said. 'We live on some democratic principles built up for many years: respect for international law, respect for borders, respect for law of the sea, and we are glad you could stand with us to state that those principles are very very important.' Thousands of people took to the streets of several cities across southern Europe on Sunday in the latest protest against overtourism. In the Spanish city of Barcelona, where the main demonstrations took place, some fired water pistols at shop windows and set off smoke. Organised by the alliance "Southern Europe against Overtourism", demonstrators joined forces with groups in Portugal and Italy. They argue that uncontrolled tourism is driving up housing prices and forcing people out of their neighbourhoods. The Guardia Urbana says only 600 people attended the demonstration in Barcelona. The Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS) states that housing is the number one national concern for citizens, according to its latest barometer released in May. Some 120 groups, such as the 'Sindicat de Llogateres', or Zeroport, against the recent approval of the extension of the Prat airport, joined in the march. Spokespeople for the latter platform say that, if this project is approved by the government, the airport will receive another 15 million passengers, of which 10 million will be tourists. Organisers have once again denounced the political inaction in the face of this phenomenon. Of the 13 proposals that were delivered to the Barcelona City Council after the demonstration in July last year, they claim that "none of the demands have been met, quite the contrary". Spain, which has a population of around 48 million, hosted a record 94 million international visitors in 2024. It remains the second most visited country in the world, behind only France. In addition to the low supply of public housing construction, well below the European average, the growing number of unregistered tourist flats has also contributed to the rise in house prices to record levels. Similar to the protests that took place a few months ago in the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands have joined the protests against mass tourism. This sector contributes more than 40% to the economy of the Mediterranean islands, according to estimates from several economic analyses, but also contributes to the degradation of their natural spaces and the increase in prices for islanders. The ongoing protests have served as a rallying cry for governments and cities to reassess their tourism models.
France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
Hundreds reported dead as Israel and Iran trade strikes for a third day
Israel unleashed airstrikes across Iran for a third day Sunday and threatened even greater force as some Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defenses to strike buildings in the heart of the country. Planned talks on Iran's nuclear program, which could provide an off-ramp, were canceled. In an indication of how far Israel was prepared to go, a U.S. official told The Associated Press that President Donald Trump in recent days vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel's strikes have killed at least 406 people in Iran and wounded another 654, according to a human rights group that has long tracked the country, Washington-based Human Rights Activists. Iran's government has not offered overall casualty figures. The region braced for a protracted conflict after Israel's surprise bombardment Friday of Iranian nuclear and military sites killed several top generals and nuclear scientists. Neither side showed any sign of backing down. 07:05 Iran said Israel struck two oil refineries, raising the prospect of a broader assault on Iran's heavily sanctioned energy industry that could affect global markets. The Israeli military, in a social media post, warned Iranians to evacuate arms factories, signaling a further widening of the campaign. Iran's military, on state TV, warned Israelis to stay away from 'occupied" areas. Israel, the sole though undeclared nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, said it launched the attack to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. The two countries have been adversaries for decades. Explosions shook the Iranian capital of Tehran around noon and 3:30 p.m. Sirens went off in Israel around 4 p.m. and again around 8:30 p.m. The Israeli military noted 'several hit sites,' including in Haifa in the north. Israel said 14 people have been killed in the country since Friday and 390 wounded. Iran has fired over 270 missiles, 22 of which got through the country's sophisticated multi-tiered air defenses, according to Israeli figures. Israel's main international airport and airspace remained closed for a third day. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said if Israel's strikes on Iran stop, then 'our responses will also stop." Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, criticized the United States for supporting Israel and said if Israel's 'hostile actions' continue, 'the responses will be more decisive and severe,' state TV reported. Trump said the U.S. 'had nothing to do with the attack' and that Iran can avoid further destruction only by agreeing to a new nuclear deal. 01:54 Photos shared by Iran's ISNA News Agency showed bloodied people being helped from the scene of Israeli strikes in downtown Tehran. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency cited deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying Israel hit a Foreign Ministry building in the north of Tehran, with several civilians injured 'including a number of my colleagues.' Israeli strikes also targeted Iran's Defense Ministry after hitting air defenses, military bases and sites associated with its nuclear program. On Sunday night, Israel said it had begun striking dozens of surface-to-surface missile targets in western Iran. Israel claimed it attacked an Iranian refueling aircraft in Mashhad in the northeast, calling it the farthest strike the military had yet carried out. Iran did not immediately acknowledge any attack. Video obtained and verified by the AP showed smoke rising from the city. The Iranian foreign minister said Israel targeted an oil refinery near Tehran and another in a province on the Persian Gulf. The Human Rights Activists group said its breakdown of the toll so far showed at least 197 civilians and 90 members of the military have been killed across Iran. At least 119 more deaths could not be identified. The group crosschecks local reports against a network of sources inside the country, where access for international media is more limited than in Israel. In a sign that Iran expects Israeli strikes to continue, state television reported that metro stations and mosques would be made available as bomb shelters beginning Sunday night. In Israel, at least six people, including a 10-year-old and a 9-year-old, were killed when a missile hit an apartment building in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. Daniel Hadad, a local police commander, said 180 people were wounded and seven were missing. Another four people, including a 13-year-old, were killed and 24 wounded when a missile struck a building in the Arab town of Tamra in northern Israel. A strike on the central city of Rehovot wounded 42. The Weizmann Institute of Science, an important center for military and other research in Rehovot, reported "a number of hits to buildings on the campus.' It said no one was harmed. An oil refinery was damaged in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, according to the firm operating it, which said no one was wounded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has brushed off urgent calls by world leaders to deescalate. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, he said regime change in Iran 'could certainly be the result' of the conflict, and he announced that Israel had killed the intelligence chief for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. He also claimed, without giving evidence, that Israeli intelligence indicated Iran intended to give nuclear weapons to Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Iran has always said its nuclear program was peaceful, and the U.S. and others have assessed that it has not pursued a weapon since 2003. But Iran has enriched ever larger stockpiles of uranium to near weapons-grade levels in recent years and was believed to have the capacity to develop multiple weapons within months if it chose to do so. The U.N.'s atomic watchdog issued a rare censure of Iran last week. A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive nuclear talks, said Washington remained committed to them and hoped the Iranians would return to the table. 02:11 The region is already on edge as Israel seeks to annihilate Hamas, an Iranian ally, in the Gaza Strip, where war still rages after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack. In a social media post, Trump warned Iran that any retaliation directed against it would bring an American response 'at levels never seen before.' In Iran, satellite photos analyzed by AP show extensive damage at Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz. The images shot Saturday by Planet Labs PBC show multiple buildings damaged or destroyed. The structures hit include buildings identified by experts as supplying power to the facility. U.N. nuclear chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that the above-ground section of the Natanz facility was destroyed. The main centrifuge facility underground did not appear to be hit, but the loss of power could have damaged infrastructure there, he said. Israel also struck a nuclear research facility in Isfahan. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said four 'critical buildings' were damaged, including Isfahan's uranium-conversion facility. The IAEA said there was no sign of increased radiation at Natanz or Isfahan. An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity Sunday in line with official procedures, said it would take 'many months, maybe more' to restore the two sites.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Iranian state media confirms death of Iran's IRGC intelligence chief
Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency has confirmed the death of the Islamic Revolutionary Corps intelligence chief Mohammad Kazemi and his deputy Hassan Mohaqiq. It added that a third IRGC intelligence officer, Mohsen Bagheri, was also killed in the strike in Tehran. They were reportedly killed in an Israeli strike on Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had already stated earlier that Kazemi and Mohaqiq had been killed. Israel and Iran launched attacks on each other for the third day in a row on Sunday, killing scores of civilians, and raising fears of a wider conflict. As the death toll continues to rise, both sides have threatened to unleash even greater force. At least 14 people have been confirmed dead in Israel. While Tehran has not given a full death toll, it said 78 people were killed on Friday and dozens more have died since. For the first time, Iran also launched a daytime barrage against Israel. At least one of the missiles launched on Sunday evening hit a building in the coastal city of Haifa, injuring four people, bringing the number of wounded across the country to 15. Israelis have now been told they can leave shelters, after the missile attack caused several light injuries and damage in both the north and south of the country. In Iran, images from the capital showed the night sky lit up by a huge blaze at a fuel depot after Israel began strikes against its oil and gas sector. Meanwhile, US-Iran nuclear talks were called off on Sunday, and a US official says that President Donald Trump has rejected a plan by the Israelis to kill Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a remarkable development that reflects the expansion of the open confrontation between Iran and Israel, the Yemeni Houthi group announced on Sunday that it had targeted the Jaffa area with several ballistic missiles, in an attack that was coordinated with Tehran, according to official statements by the group. The entry of the Houthis, Iran's allies in Yemen, into the battle opens a new phase of regional escalation and reinforces the possibility of a "multilateral front" against Israel. Ansar Allah's military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, said in a televised statement that the attack was carried out during the past 24 hours and targeted what he described as "sensitive sites" in the city of Jaffa in Israel. Saree confirmed that the operation was carried out in co-ordination with the recent Iranian attacks on Israel. On the other hand, Israeli media reported that the country's air force carried out an airstrike in Yemen, targeting, according to intelligence sources, the chief of staff of the Houthi group, Mohammed Abdul Karim al-Ghamari. The TV channel "Kan" and the "Axios" website quoted Israeli officials as saying that the operation, if confirmed successful, would be "very important and dramatic". However, a Houthi source denied that any of the group's leaders were successfully targeted, stressing that what is being circulated is "an attempt to cover up Israel's failures in repelling the attacks." In a televised speech broadcast by Al-Masirah TV, Ansar Allah leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi announced his full support for the Iranian response to Israel, threatening what he described as an "open and long-term war" against Tel Aviv. Al-Houthi added that Yemen will be part of any fateful battle fought by the "axis of resistance". Fars News Agency reported that Tehran used advanced tactical missiles, powered by solid fuel and equipped with high-explosive warheads, including the "Emad", "Qader", and "Khyber" models. The official IRNA news agency also confirmed the use of a hypersonic missile in the latest strike on the city of Haifa. The New York Times reported that the attacks directly damaged a major Israeli research centre, leading to a fire inside one of the laboratory buildings. Yediot Aharonot also reported that the Weizmann Scientific Institute in Rehovot was severely damaged by a rocket. With the Houthis officially entering the circle of escalation, the confrontation has gone beyond its traditional framework between Tehran and Tel Aviv, turning into a multi-front regional conflict. In the absence of signs of calm, the region appears to be heading towards an open escalation that may change the contours of the Middle East for decades to come.
