France has put on hold its initiative to receive Palestinians fleeing Gaza as authorities conduct a probe into a female Palestinian student accused of making antisemitic remarks online. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced the suspension, stating that no further evacuations would occur until the investigation is completed.
The 25-year-old woman, who was studying in Lille on a scholarship, has seen her university withdraw her accreditation and is now required to leave France. Since the onset of the war between Israel and Hamas, which escalated after the 7 October attacks, France has facilitated the safe passage of over 500 people from Gaza.
The student was expected to start classes at Sciences Po Lille this autumn, but she has been deregistered following the confirmation of her controversial online comments by the university, which noted that such remarks contradict the institution's values. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau called for the student's social media account to be closed and indicated intent to pursue legal actions against what he labeled as "Hamas propagandists."
Barrot further stated that previously evacuated Palestinians will undergo renewed security checks in light of this incident, as the original screenings by both state services and Israeli authorities failed to uncover the troubling comments made by the student, raising questions regarding the vetting process utilized in these evacuations.
