France suspends entry of Palestinians while probing student over alleged anti-Semitic statements
French Student Expelled for Anti-Semitic Remarks, Evacuations Suspended
A Palestinian student from Gaza, Nour Attaalah, has been ordered to leave France and has since departed for Qatar, following accusations of posting anti-Semitic remarks and calls for violence against Jews. The student was enrolled at the Institute of Political Studies (IEP) in Lille, but was disenrolled due to the content of her social media publications, which contradicted the values upheld by the university.
The student's admission to IEP was proposed by the French Consulate General in Jerusalem. The French government is now conducting a high-level investigation into the visa issuance process and the student's social media activity. The investigation is focusing on charges of "justifying terrorism" and a "crime against humanity."
In the wake of this incident, the French government has halted all evacuation programs for Gaza students. This suspension affects several hundred students previously allowed entry from Gaza as part of government scholarship programs. The Quai d'Orsay, when contacted by AFP, did not communicate the number of people affected by this decision due to confidentiality reasons.
The Lille prosecutor's office has opened an investigation for apology of terrorism and apology of crime against humanity regarding the student's social media publications. Screenshots circulating on social media show that the student shared messages calling for the killing of Jews.
François-Noël Buffet, Minister attached to the Minister of the Interior, acknowledged that there is a question about how the student was admitted and that legal proceedings will be initiated. All profiles that have entered France will undergo a new verification.
Higher Education and Research Minister Philippe Baptiste reacted strongly to the incident, calling it a failure at the screening stage by the competent ministries. Minister Baptiste will make proposals to improve the selection process for international students at the start of the academic year.
The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, made this declaration on August 1st, stating that the student has no place in France and must leave the national territory. Barrot also announced that France will not accept evacuated Gazans until the conclusions of an investigation into the admission of an anti-Semitic student are drawn.
In summary, the key consequences are: the student’s expulsion, suspension of Gazan student evacuations to France, and a high-level judicial and administrative probe into the visa issuance process and the student's social media activity. The French government is taking a more cautious and restrictive stance on accepting evacuated Gazans due to this controversy.
- The policy-and-legislation regarding visa issuance and student admission in France is undergoing a thorough investigation, following the controversial case of a Palestinian student who was expelled for sharing anti-Semitic remarks and calls for violence against Jews.
- In light of the General-news surrounding the expulsion of a student and the suspension of Gazan student evacuations, the French government is adopting stricter policies in Crime-and-justice, with a focus on scrutinizing the social media activity of international students before admission.
