Israel Deports French Journalist Who Justified October 7
Israel deports French journalist Alice Froussard at Ben Gurion Airport after she justified the October 7 massacre "in context" and accused Israel of apartheid, sparking French diplomatic outrage.
Israel denied entry Thursday to French journalist Alice Froussard, placing her on a return flight to France shortly after she landed at Ben Gurion Airport to arrange a long-term work visa.
Froussard arrived in Israel for a work posting but was intercepted and put back on a flight to France, according to the Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry. The Population and Immigration Authority acted on a recommendation from the ministry's director-general, Avi Cohen Scali.
Froussard is a prominent French journalist who has spent the last six years living and working in the areas of Jerusalem and Ramallah, reporting for Radio France, Le Figaro, TV5Monde, and Mediapart. She had arrived seeking accreditation for a long-term posting on behalf of Radio France.
The ministry's review found a pattern of statements it deemed anti-Israel and antisemitic, including public remarks framing the October 7 massacre as events that must be viewed "in context," as well as accusations that Israel committed a "massacre" and operates an "apartheid" regime.
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli welcomed the move in pointed terms, declaring that the era in which journalists could operate freely inside Israel while actively delegitimizing the state was over. Chikli also directed sharp criticism at the French government, referencing Paris's recognition of a Palestinian state while Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, as well as unilateral sanctions imposed on Israeli officials and citizens.
The French Embassy in Israel expressed outrage over the deportation.
Israeli officials emphasized that press freedom remains a core democratic value, but said it cannot serve as cover for incitement, support for terrorist organizations, or coordinated campaigns against Israel's legitimacy.