Communiqué issued by the ministry for Europe and foreign Affairs (7 November 2023)

A woman tearing down a poster of Israeli hostages in Gaza was identified as a former contractor for the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Among the hostages are several French nationals, who very likely include minors. We have since learned of other posts comparing Hamas’s terrorist attacks to the French resistance against the Nazi occupation.

These actions are most likely consistent with the definition of anti-Semitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and endorsed by France in February 2019. It will be up to the courts to determine whether they warrant criminal prosecution.

The video posted that day shows absolutely disgraceful remarks, demeanor and behavior that totally disqualify this person from maintaining any sort of working relationship with the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Although she has not had a contractual relationship with the Ministry since last summer, an administrative inquiry into her hiring process will begin today, at Minister Catherine Colonna’s request.

Minister Catherine Colonna once again stresses that hatred, extremism and violence are by definition incompatible with participating, either directly or indirectly, in French foreign policy.