Israeli airline office in Paris  defaced with "Free Palestine" graffiti

The Paris office of Israeli national airline El Al was defaced with red paint and pro-Palestinian slogans on August 7 in what officials are calling a targeted act of vandalism.

According to eyewitness accounts, the entrance to El Al's headquarters in the French capital was daubed in red with slogans including “Free Palestine.” The incident drew swift condemnation from both French and Israeli officials, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“Acts of hatred and anti-Semitism have no place in our Republic,” said French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot in a statement posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Israel’s ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, also denounced the incident, calling it a deliberate attack.

“It’s quite simply an attack, nothing more, nothing less, against an Israeli company, and against the state of Israel,” Zarka told reporters at the scene.

The Paris prosecutor’s office has not yet commented on the investigation or provided details regarding potential suspects. No arrests have been reported.

The act comes amid heightened tensions in France following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza. These events have been followed by a notable increase in hate crimes across the country.

In March, the French government reported an 11% rise in racist, xenophobic, and anti-religious offences for the year 2023, although no specific breakdown by religion was provided.

By Vugar Khalilov