Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the French Consulate in Jerusalem on Friday to protest what they called France's support for "subversive activities against Israel."
The demonstration, organized by the Im Tirtzu and Israel Is Forever organizations, was held in response to the indictment of two French Consulate workers who were charged with smuggling dozens of weapons from the Gaza Strip to Judea and Samaria.
The demonstrators chanted slogans including "France – Leave the Jewish State Alone" and "Stop Your Diplomatic Terror," and also called on the consulate to stop funding "anti-Israel" Israeli NGOs that "work against Israel and accuse the IDF of war crimes."
Over the past several years, the French Consulate has funneled over 750,000 shekels ($215,000) to far-left Israeli NGOs including "Breaking the Silence," "B'Tselem," and "Yesh Din."
According to the demonstrators, the recent incident was merely the latest episode in a series of anti-Israel activities undertaken by consulate workers.
Until 2015, the French Consulate in Jerusalem employed Elsa Lefront, daughter of a known anti-Semitic activist and husband of Salah Hamouri – an Arab terrorist who is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and who tried to assassinate Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in 2005.
In 2013, French diplomat Marion Fesneau-Castaing participated in a violent protest in Judea and Samaria where she was filmed assaulting a border policeman.
"For years the French Consulate has been a breeding ground for anti-Israel activity," said Im Tirtzu National Activist Coordinator Tom Nisani.
"We call on the French Consulate to stop their subversive activities, which not only include direct attempts by their workers to harm the security of Israel, but the funding of radical anti-Israel NGOs that are seeking to undermine Israel's right to exist."