Red paint and slogans were daubed at the entry to the offices of national Israeli airline El Al in Paris, with Israel Thursday urging French authorities to take action over the “barbaric act.”
“I condemn the barbaric and violent act against El Al and expect the law enforcement authorities in France to locate the criminals and take strong action against them,” Israel’s transport minister Miri Regev wrote on X.
She said the act was the result of announcements by President Emmanuel Macron that “make gifts to” the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, in apparent reference to his announcement last month that France plans to recognise a Palestinian state.
Israel’s ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, visited the scene, describing the vandalism as an “act of terrorism” that aims to “terrorise El Al employees, terrorise Israeli citizens, scare them and try to make them feel that they are not welcome.”
According to El Al, quoted by Israeli TV channel N12, “the incident occurred while the building was empty and there was no danger to the company’s employees.”
“El Al proudly displays the Israeli flag on the tail of its aircraft and condemns all forms of violence, particularly those based on anti-Semitism,” the national airline added.
