Calls Grow in Paris to Block Israeli Minister Smotrich’s Gala Amid Gaza Genocide
Paris (Quds News Network)- Anti-genocide activists in France intensified their calls on Thursday for authorities to cancel a gala set to take place on November 13 in Paris, where Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is scheduled to appear.
Gathering at Trocadero Square near the iconic Eiffel Tower, demonstrators urged French officials to block the event organized by the zionist ‘Israel Forever Foundation’. Protesters chanted slogans such as “No gala in Paris for Smotrich and his associates” and “Long live Palestinian resistance,” expressing their strong opposition to the minister’s presence in the French capital.
Malgré un dispositif policier démesuré, la foule grandit au Trocadéro contre le gala Israël forever qui accueille en vedette le ministre d’extrême droite Bezalel Smotrich.
🎥@ArnaudCesarV pic.twitter.com/CGeaCDovWJ— Marcel (@realmarcel1) November 7, 2024
The protest was marked by Palestinian and Lebanese flags, as well as banners highlighting the West’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza, with messages like “The West is responsible for the genocide in Gaza” and “Murderer Smotrich.”
The demonstration saw the participation of French politicians, anti-Zionist Jewish civil society groups, and rabbis. Notably, one Jewish rabbi displayed a banner reading, “True rabbis have always opposed Zionism and the state of Israel,” highlighting the diverse opposition to Smotrich’s visit.
The push to cancel the event has gained momentum over the past month. Thomas Portes, a lawmaker from the opposition France Unbowed party, had earlier submitted an official request to the Paris Police Department to prevent Smotrich’s participation in the gala.
Further amplifying the demands, six organizations, including the French Human Rights League, issued a joint statement on November 4, calling for the cancellation of the event in light of the Israeli minister’s genocidal statements and actions.
The planned appearance of Smotrich, known for his far-right views, has sparked widespread criticism amid heightened tensions over Israel’s crimes in Gaza, with activists arguing that hosting him in France would be an endorsement of policies contributing to ongoing genocide in Gaza.
