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France 24
an hour ago
- Politics
- France 24
France halts intake of Gazans over student's antisemitic posts
The move comes after officials said the female student from Gaza would 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," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told Franceinfo radio. All Gazans who have entered France will undergo a second screening, he added. The foreign ministry told AFP it could not disclose how many people would be affected by the policy change, citing confidentiality concerns. France has helped more than 500 people leave Gaza since the latest war between Palestinian militant group 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". "France cannot suspend its policy of welcoming evacuated Gazans: our common humanity is at stake," said Arthur Delaporte, spokesman for the opposition Socialist Party, on X. Lille's general prosecutor said Thursday that a judicial probe has been opened against the student for allegedly trying to "justify terrorism" and "justify a crime against humanity". Barrot confirmed she must leave France, noting that talks were ongoing to determine her destination. 'Just two minutes' The 25-year-old woman was due to start studying at France's prestigious Sciences Po in the fall as part of a government scholarship programme for students from Gaza. A French diplomatic source said the student arrived in France on July 11 on a scholarship based on "academic excellence" and after "security checks". But now she will have to leave the country after pro-Israel accounts on X resurfaced posts she shared in September, including 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. AFP has not been able to independently confirm the social media posts attributed to the young woman. Sciences Po however confirmed on Wednesday that the young woman had shared the content. It said they were in "direct contradiction" with the university's values, without elaborating. "The security checks carried out by the relevant state services, as well as by the Israeli authorities, did not detect these antisemitic and unacceptable comments," Barrot said. A spokesman for France's far-right National Rally criticised the government's vetting process, saying "it only took two minutes of browsing" to find the posts. "And yet, France welcomed this individual," said spokesman Julien Odoul on Europe 1 radio. AFP was not immediately able to reach the student for comment. The news agency is not identifying her at this stage of the investigation. In a July interview on broadcaster RMC, before her posts came to light, the 25-year-old had expressed her excitement about studying in France. "I am finally in a safe space," she said.
The National
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
France pauses Gazan arrivals after student's anti-Semitic posts
All evacuations from Gaza to France have been temporarily suspended while authorities in Paris review how a Palestinian student who allegedly posted anti-Semitic messages online was allowed into the country. France has helped more than 500 people arrive from Gaza since the latest war started, including wounded children, journalists, students and artists. But Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said all evacuations to France are now on hold. 'No operation of this type, no evacuation of any kind will take place until we have drawn the consequences of this investigation,' he told radio France Info. The prestigious Sciences Po university in the northern city of Lille cancelled the accreditation of the Palestinian student after an anonymous pro-Israel account on X published screenshots of posts she allegedly shared in September. The posts include an image of Adolf Hitler and words appearing to call for the death of Jews. Another alleged post hails a 'Hamas air defence system'. Several French cabinet ministers backed the investigation. 'Hamas propagandists have nothing to do in our country,' Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said. Anti-Semitism is a touchstone political topic in France. National statistics show attacks against Jews quadrupled after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said those responsible for the student's entry could be sanctioned. 'Can there be sanctions when there are such breaches? Certainly,' said Mr Bayrou. Security checks on Gazan evacuees that travel to France are normally conducted both by Israeli and French authorities, Mr Barrot said, admitting that there have been 'flaws' in those checks. Mr Barrot said the Gazan student would be expelled to an unnamed country. Sending her back to Gaza would violate the principle of non-refoulement, which bars states from sending people back to war zones. 'She has no place in France. She must leave the country,' Mr Barrot said. Evacuees scrutinised The cases of all evacuees who have arrived from Gaza to France will be examined again, the Foreign Minister added. 'All profiles that entered France will be subject to a new check following the security screening flaws,' Mr Barrot said. The student had landed in France on July 11 on a scholarship based on 'academic excellence' and after 'security checks', according to a French diplomatic source. She was supposed to start her studies on September 4. Accusations against her surfaced after radio RMC broadcast an interview on Monday in which she explained that she had obtained a scholarship from the French government to study law and communication. In a video in which she showed her new living space in Lille, she said: 'I am finally in a safe place.' At the time, she was hosted by Sciences Po Lille director, Etienne Peyrat. Speaking after the cancellation of her inscription, Mr Peyrat said that her profile had been suggested to the university by the French consulate in Jerusalem. Of the more than 500 people France has taken in from Gaza since the war started, 115 arrived in April. Most of them were artists and researchers who benefitted from a national emergency programme named Pause. Previous arrivals included 25 injured or sick Gazan children who were brought to France for medical treatment. Among them were also French citizens and their family members and employees of the French Institute and the French Agency for Development and their families.
Euronews
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
France suspends Gaza evacuations over antisemitic posts by student
French authorities have suspended all evacuations from Gaza on Friday following revelations that a Palestinian student granted entry to France is under investigation for antisemitic content posted on her social media. A criminal inquiry has been launched in Lille against 25-year-old Nour A, a Gaza native who arrived in the country in early July and was set to begin a master's degree at Sciences Po in the northern French city this fall. The decision to halt all further evacuations was announced on Friday by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. 'No evacuation of any kind will take place' until the investigation into the student's background is concluded, Barrot told France Info radio. He also confirmed that 'discussions (were) under way' regarding her potential return to Gaza. 'She has no place at Sciences Po, nor in France," Barrot added. The controversy erupted after screenshots circulated online allegedly linking Nour A to a now-deleted X account containing extreme content. The posts allegedly included calls for the extermination of Jewish people and videos praising World War II Nazi German leader Adolf Hitler. Barrot acknowledged failures in the screening process that allowed her entry. 'The security checks, carried out by the French services and Israeli authorities, did not detect the antisemitic content,' he said. In response, he ordered a renewed review of all individuals who had been evacuated to France from Gaza. On Thursday, the public prosecutor in Lille confirmed the opening of an investigation for 'apology of terrorism, apology of crimes against humanity using an online public communication service.'
Al Arabiya
5 hours ago
- Politics
- 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.
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
France to halt Gaza arrivals pending probe into student's antisemitic posts
PARIS: 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 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-Noel Barrot told Franceinfo Gazans who have entered France will undergo a second screening, he has helped more than 500 people leave Gaza since the latest war between Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel started, including wounded children, journalists, students and 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 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.
