European Parliament president Roberta Metsola has taken allegations against French MEP Rima Hassan "extremely seriously". Hassan, a Palestinian-origin lawmaker with the hard-left France Unbowed party, is under investigation following an incident at an event marking three years since the 7 October 2023 attacks. Metsola stated that Hassan was filmed apparently damaging an exhibition commemorating the victims of the terrorist attack in Israel.
According to Metsola, Hassan was seen allegedly throwing the flag of Israel to the ground, dropping a flagpole, and knocking down the European Union flag. Both flags were left lying on the ground before Hassan left the scene. Metsola emphasized that the European Parliament takes these allegations extremely seriously and is taking all necessary steps according to their procedures.
Hassan's staff released a statement explaining the events shortly after the incident. They claimed that Hassan removed the Israeli flag from its stand, and the European Union flag accidentally fell due to the loss of balance. The statement denied that either flag was trampled or damaged. Hassan's action was part of denouncing the ongoing situation in Gaza.
Hassan addressed the EU parliament on Tuesday, stating that her action was "in no way aimed at the people this event sought to honour, nor at their memory." She emphasized that it is possible to commemorate the victims of October 7 without associating with the Israeli government. Hassan has been a vocal advocate for Palestine and has led a campaign to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
The incident has sparked strong reactions from various politicians. Right-wing French deputy Francois-Xavier Bellamy described Hassan's act as "a form of complicity with those who seek to re-import the antisemitic hatred that marked the darkest chapters of our continent's history." Centrist French parliament member Nathalie Loiseau expressed outrage on social media platform X.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the incident "shameful, outrageous, but sadly not surprising." Saar stated that Hassan's actions demonstrate her lack of respect for the European Parliament. Metsola warned that actions like Hassan's could make people fearful of speaking and damage property.
The investigation into Hassan's actions is ongoing. Metsola emphasized the importance of ensuring that the European Parliament remains a safe space for all members, particularly for Europe's Jewish community. Hassan has a history of activism, including participating in a flotilla that attempted to reach Gaza last year, for which she was detained and later expelled by Israeli authorities.
Key points
- European Parliament president Roberta Metsola has taken allegations against French MEP Rima Hassan "extremely seriously".
- Hassan allegedly damaged an exhibition commemorating the 7 October 2023 attacks in Israel.
- The incident has sparked strong reactions from various politicians, including Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and French deputies Francois-Xavier Bellamy and Nathalie Loiseau.
