“Israel is Forever”: “The most fanatical religious Zionism”… before France-Israel, a gala organized by far-right Franco-Israeli personalities causes controversy

The “Israel is Forever” gala, an event in support of this country organized by far-right Franco-Israeli personalities, is to be held Wednesday evening in Paris on the eve of the France-Israel football match and a week after the violence in 'Amsterdam. This event is presented by its organizers as “the mobilization of French-speaking Zionist forces in the service of the power and history of Israel”. The location has not been made public. The “Israel is Forever” association, founded by Jacques Kupfer, a radical Zionist activist, is today chaired by his daughter, lawyer Nili Kupfer-Naouri.

Pro-Palestinian associations, unions and French left-wing parties rebelled against the holding of this event and the announced presence of the far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich who embodies, according to them, “the figure of the most fanatical religious Zionism” but also “racism and hatred”. A spokesperson for the Israeli minister told AFP on Tuesday that “no trip to Paris was planned.” It is not excluded that he will participate virtually.

Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez has not banned this gala, which does not present a “significant” risk of public order disturbances, he said on RTL on Wednesday. Seized by a pro-Palestinian coordination, “justice ruled in favor of our police prefect who did not ban this demonstration, any more than we are going to ban other demonstrations which will be opposed”, justified the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau Tuesday evening on TF1.

On the sidelines of the gala, the right-wing Jewish movement Betar, which has numerous branches around the world and counts radical members in its ranks, plans to rally alongside the French Jewish Student Movement. The location and time are unknown at this stage.

In reaction to this gala, several associations are calling for a mobilization on Wednesday. A demonstration, launched at the initiative of political parties (LFI, EELV, NPA) and associations, will take place between Saint-Lazare station and Place de la République in Paris. Between 4,000 and 8,000 people are expected, according to a police source. Other organizations, including SOS Racisme, plan to gather in the 8th arrondissement of the capital.

France denounced in March 2023 the “irresponsible” comments of this Israeli Finance Minister who denied the existence of Palestinians as individuals and as a people during an evening organized by the same association in Paris.

“High risk” match

The next day, the Nations League football match between France and Israel scheduled at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, is considered “high risk” by the French authorities, who are planning an “extremely reinforced”, “very unusual” for a match of this type. A total of 4,000 police officers and gendarmes will be mobilized, announced the police prefect on Sunday, around and, rarely, in the stadium, as well as on public transport and in Paris. Around 1,600 security agents will also be mobilized at the Stade de France and the RAID, the elite unit of the national police, is committed to the security of the Israel team.

Israeli authorities on Sunday called on supporters to avoid going to Saint-Denis. According to the Israeli National Security Council, “organizations that want to attack Israelis have been identified in a number of European cities,” citing Brussels, major British cities, Amsterdam and Paris.

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. These attacks, described as anti-Semitic in particular by Israel and the Dutch authorities, left 20 to 30 injured and sparked indignation in many Western capitals. This violence occurred in a context of polarization in Europe, with a rise in anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli and Islamophobic acts since the start of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza.