PARIS (AP) 鈥 Protests erupted in Paris on Wednesday against a controversial gala organized by far-right figures in support of Israel. The event, intended to raise funds for the Israeli military, included Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich among its invited guests.
The demonstrations came on the eve of a high-stakes soccer match at France's national stadium against the Israeli national team, overshadowed by tensions around the wars in the Middle East. Authorities in Paris announced that and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for the game.
Smotrich, a vocal advocate of , had been expected to attend Wednesday's gala, dubbed 鈥淚srael is Forever,鈥 which was planned by an association of the same name. The group鈥檚 stated goal is to 鈥渕obilize French-speaking Zionist forces.鈥
After days of growing criticism of the event, Smotrich's office confirmed Wednesday that the minister would not travel to Paris to participate.
But the invitation to Smotrich drew sharp criticism from local associations, unions and left-wing political parties, prompting two protests in the French capital. The minister, a hard-line settler leader, has been accused of inflaming tensions in the West Bank and drew international condemnations this week by saying he hopes the election of Donald Trump 鈥 a step that would extinguish Palestinian statehood dreams.
The French Foreign Ministry called Smotrich鈥檚 remarks 鈥渃ontrary to international law鈥 and counterproductive to efforts to reduce regional tensions.
鈥淔rance reiterates its commitment to the implementation of the two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security, which is the only prospect for a just and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,鈥 the ministry said in a statement.
Critics also pointed at Nili Kupfer-Naouri, president of the 鈥淚srael is Forever鈥 association, who sparked outrage in 2023, after the Israel-Hamas war started, when she tweeted that 鈥渘o civilian in Gaza was innocent.鈥
On Wednesday night, several hundred protesters marched through central Paris, denouncing the event as a 鈥済ala of hatred and shame.鈥
鈥淚magine if an association were hosting a gala for Hezbollah or Hamas 鈥 there鈥檚 no way the police would allow that,鈥 said Melkir Saib, a 30-year-old protester. 鈥淭he situation is just unfair.鈥
The march was largely peaceful, but some demonstrators broke windows at a McDonald's along the route.
A separate group, including Jewish leftist organizations opposed to racism and antisemitism, gathered near the Arc de Triomphe chanting slogans against the gala and Smotrich.
French authorities defended the event, with Paris police chief Laurent Nunez stating that the gala posed 鈥渘o major threat to public order.鈥
The protests came days after tensions flared in Paris and Amsterdam related to the conflicts in the Mideast. A massive 鈥淔ree Palestine鈥 banner was displayed during a Paris Saint-Germain Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, while violence broke out last week targeting fans of an Israeli soccer club.
