France reportedly halts visa renewal for El Al security staff

Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday that it is in touch directly with authorities in the French foreign ministry to handle the matter.

Separately, pilots of the flag carrier alleged that an air traffic controller at Paris’s Charles De Gaulle Airport shouted “Free Palestine” at them over the intercom as the plane was taxiing on the tarmac.

El Al leadership told the Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that they are taking the incident “very seriously” and that it would continue to “fly around the world with the Israeli flag on the trails of its aircraft with pride.”

Also, last Thursday, El Al temporarily removed all of its staff out of Paris after its offices in the city were vandalised by anti-Israel activists.

The words “El Al genocide airline” and “Free Palestine” were daubed across the front door and windows of the building in an incident which the airline said it was treating with the “utmost gravity”.

El Al's office in Paris was vandalised this morning by anti-Israel activists (Image: El Al)[Missing Credit]

In a statement, the airline said the “severe” incident occurred while the building was empty and there was no danger to its employees.

“El Al views the incident seriously and is working on handling the matter with the authorities, following guidelines of the competent authorities in France and Israel. El Al proudly flies the Israeli flag on the tails of its planes and condemns all forms of violence, especially antisemitic violence,” the airline said.

France is home to Western Europe’s largest Jewish population, estimated to be about half a million, or approximately 1 per cent of the national population.