El Al Paris Offices Targeted in Anti-Israel Attack, Staff Withdrawn

In a disturbing escalation of antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiment in Europe, the offices of Israeli airline El Al in Paris were vandalized overnight (Wednesday to Thursday) with hate-filled graffiti and property damage. The assailants spray-painted slogans such as “Genocide Airline” and “Free Palestine” in red across the building’s facade.

As a result of the attack, El Al has made the unprecedented decision to withdraw its Israeli ground crews from the French capital. Moving forward, services at the Paris terminal will be handled by a foreign contractor, rather than by El Al personnel.

The local police have opened an investigation into the incident. The building was empty at the time, and no El Al staff were harmed.

Transport, National Infrastructure and Road Safety Minister Miri Regev strongly condemned the attack, directing blame at French President Emmanuel Macron. “Citizens of France, wake up. Today it's El Al, tomorrow it will be Air France,” Regev warned. “When President Macron makes statements that amount to gifts to Hamas, this is the result: barbaric and violent acts. I expect French authorities to locate the perpetrators and take severe action against them.”

In an official statement, El Al said: “This serious incident occurred overnight while the building was unoccupied and no staff were at risk. El Al takes the matter very seriously and is working with authorities in France and Israel in accordance with official guidelines. El Al proudly flies the Israeli flag on the tail of every aircraft and condemns all forms of violence, especially those driven by antisemitism.”

The Paris incident adds to a series of recent antisemitic and anti-Israel episodes worldwide. Just two days ago, Jewish passengers on a flight from Buenos Aires to Madrid reportedly received their kosher meals marked with the message “Free Palestine.” The flight was operated by Spanish airline Iberia. That followed another incident weeks earlier, in which 52 Jewish teenagers were removed from a Vueling flight, another Spanish carrier.