Around fifty people demonstrated on Saturday November 9, 2024 on the Grand-Place of Lille against the war in Gaza, and against the French bank BNP Paribas accused of participating in the financing of the Israeli state in conflict with Palestinian Hamas, which the bank denies.
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The meeting was set on the Grand-Place in Lille. Around fifty people gathered there on the morning of November 9, 2024 to demonstrate against the war in Gaza, but also against the French bank BNP Paribas, accused of participating in the financing of the Israeli state in conflict with Palestinian Hamas, which the bank denies.
“BNP Paribas is the leading French and European investor in companies involved in illegal settlements in Palestine and in arming Israel” can we read in the call for demonstrations published by the France-Palestine Solidarity Association (AFPS) on its social networks.
“Israel murderer, BNP complicit” : The demonstration was held in front of a BNP Paribas agency in the capital of Flanders, at the call of the AFPS and the local Attac committees. Activists unfurled a large Palestinian flag and placed many pairs of shoes to remember the victims, particularly children, who died in Gaza in the conflict with Israel since the October 7 attack perpetrated by Hamas.
Association in solidarity with the Palestinian cause, the AFPS accuses “several French banks“to support the Israeli offensive”by raising funds from these banks to the Israeli state, not directly to the state, but to Israeli banks or investment companies in the settlements and also to the Israeli army.”
For its part, the BNP contradicts these accusations, explaining that it is not involved.in any way in the conflict in the Middle East. We refute the allegations made against us, it is defamatory to assert that BNP Paribas is in any way financing this conflict“the bank informed AFP.”We share the feeling of horror at the situation and the dramatic impacts on civilian populations.“
Action had already been taken against BNP's Parisian agencies at the end of October. Activists from the Action Justice Climat association urged the bank to “put an end to its activities related to the State of Israel“, according to a press release from the NGO. The association also explains that the first French bank has “committed to the tune of 2 billion dollars in a bond issue of the State of Israel.” According to data from the financial agency Bloomberg, this issue took place in March 2024.
“We neither financed nor invested“BNP Paribas had already reacted to this operation, specifying that it had participated as an intermediary, alongside three other international banks. The bank had “filed a complaint“following”acts of vandalism” during the Parisian demonstrations.
With AFP
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