Rima Hassan, a France Unbowed representative in the European Parliament (EP), has faced racist attacks and threats following an interview where she denounced Israel’s occupation of Palestine, criticized Western complicity, and reaffirmed Palestinians’ right to self-determination.
Hassan, of Palestinian origin, has been targeted by figures from President Emmanuel Macron’s liberals and the ruling right-wing François Bayrou government. Critics have circulated degrading caricatures, accused her of supporting terrorism, and called for her French nationality to be revoked. “This is an escalation in racist persecution that should alarm all humanist forces,” France Unbowed’s EP delegation stated. “The silence is deafening.”
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At the end of February, Israeli authorities barred Hassan and Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan from entering historical Palestine during a planned mission to meet community representatives and collect accounts of life under occupation. Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Arbel said the ban on Hassan would be imposed in response to her outspoken criticism of the occupation and support for Palestine solidarity campaigns, including boycotts.
Responding to calls to strip her of French nationality, Hassan, a lawyer, wrote: “Impossible—I was born stateless after you ethnically cleansed Palestine and parked us in camps since 1948. Bummer.” She reaffirmed her commitment to advocating for justice for Palestine, undeterred by ongoing attacks.
