Hamas official credited Oct 7 for ‘entire world’ moving toward Palestinian recognition ‘with force’
El Al’s Paris offices were vandalized on Thursday in what the national Israeli airline described as a “harsh anti-Israel incident,” the Jerusalem Post reported.
The company’s building was defaced with graffiti reading, “El Al genocide airline,” prompting the carrier “to evacuate all its personnel from the French capital,” according to the Post. Images of the building’s exterior showed streaks of red paint made to look like blood and messages reading, “Free Palestine.”
The incident comes just a week after French president Emmanuel Macron announced that he will formally recognize the “state of Palestine” in September, when the United Nations gathers for its annual General Assembly meeting. Both the United States and Israel oppose the move, saying it rewards Hamas for the Oct. 7 terror attacks and strengthens the terror group’s position in Gaza.
“The severe incident was discovered this morning and occurred while the building was empty, and there was no danger to the company’s employees,” El Al said in a statement. “El Al views the incident seriously and is working on handling the matter with the authorities, following the guidelines of the competent authorities in France and Israel.”
The company noted that it “proudly flies the Israeli flag on the tails of its planes and condemns all forms of violence, especially antisemitic violence.”
Israeli transportation minister Miri Regev condemned the attack in a Hebrew-language statement on X, writing, “When French President Macron makes announcements that give gifts to Hamas, this is the result.”
French authorities were alerted to the attack and opened an investigation, according to the Post.
Hamas has publicly boasted that calls for recognition of Palestinian statehood are “the fruits of Oct. 7.” Senior Hamas member Ghazi Hamad asked Al Jazeera in a Saturday interview, “Why are all the countries recognizing a Palestinian state today? Before Oct. 7, did any country dare recognize a Palestinian state? The fruits of Oct. 7 are what caused the entire world to open its eyes to the Palestinian issue—and they are moving toward it with force,” he added. “That is, that the Palestinian people are a people who deserve a country.” Macron’s announcement was soon followed by similar statements from Canadian prime minister Mark Carney and U.K. prime minister Keir Starmer, both hinting at future recognition of a Palestinian state.
