Thousands demonstrate in Paris against controversial gala in support of Israel

A demonstration was held in Paris against a controversial gala in support of Israel on Wednesday November 13. The police estimate that 3,000 people marched in the capital, before the procession dispersed from Place de la République.

This gala was held on the evening of Wednesday, November 13 in a secret location in the French capital, on the eve of a France-Israel football match at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis), considered very high risk.

“Israel is Forever“, organized by far-right Franco-Israeli figures, sparked an outcry due to the participation of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez, interviewed on RTL, did not ban this gala, considering that it did not present a risk of disturbing public order.important“. AFP journalists did not notice any disturbances shortly after 9 p.m., at the presumed location of the gala.

“Smotrich assassin, Macron complice“, protesters chanted against him in the procession of 3,000 people, according to the police, which dispersed at Place de la République. In addition to the slogans against Bezalel Smotrich, the demonstrators protested more generally against the policy carried out by the Israeli government in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

“Free Palestine“, “Israel get lost, Palestine is not yours“, chanted the demonstrators. For fear of excesses, McDonald's – one of which was targeted by demonstrators who damaged its window – and a Carrefour store had lowered their iron curtains with customers inside, observed by AFP journalists.

Known for his extremist positions, Bezalel Smotrich had to make the trip in person before his spokesperson finally mentioned speaking remotely, without tempering the ire of the pro-Palestinian associations, unions and French left-wing parties for whom he represents “the figure of the most fanatical religious Zionism“but also the”racism and (the) clothes“.

This week, this minister promised an annexation in 2025 by Israel of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. France denounced in March 2023 the comments “irresponsible” from this Israeli Finance Minister who then denied the existence of Palestinians as individuals and as a people during an evening organized by the same association in Paris.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has once again “sentenced“on Wednesday the words of this minister, judging them”contrary to international law” and going “against efforts aimed at a de-escalation of regional tensions”.

For the match on Thursday, November 14 in the evening, in the presence of President Emmanuel Macron, the French authorities have planned a system “extremely reinforced“, “very unusual” for a match of this type. A total of 4,000 police officers and gendarmes will be mobilized, and, unusually, in the stadium, as well as on public transport and throughout Paris.

Around 1,600 security officers will be at the Stade de France and 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 (Seine-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.

A statement following the attacks against Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters on the night of November 7. These people had been chased and beaten in the streets of Amsterdam (Netherlands), after a Europa League match. These attacks, described as anti-Semitic in particular by Israel and the Dutch authorities, left 20 to 30 injured.

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Violence which is produced 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.