An uproar erupted in the European Parliament on Tuesday after French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan removed an Israeli flag displayed as part of an exhibition commemorating the victims of the October 7 massacre. The European Union flag, which was attached to the same stand, also fell to the floor.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola addressed the incident in the chamber, saying she was treating the allegations against Hassan “with the utmost seriousness."
“A Member of this House has been filmed allegedly vandalizing an exhibition commemorating the victims of the terrorist attack carried out in Israel on October 7," Metsola said. “We take this matter extremely seriously, and all appropriate measures provided for under our rules are already being taken, while safeguarding the right of the person concerned to be heard."
A parliamentary official said Hassan would be required to provide an explanation to Metsola, who will decide whether disciplinary measures should be taken against her. A Parliament spokesperson said the incident was documented and is currently being reviewed by parliamentary services.
Hassan’s office confirmed that she removed the Israeli flag but rejected claims that she trampled on it or damaged either flag.
“Rima Hassan removed the Israeli flag from its stand. The European flag, which was attached to the same structure, subsequently fell accidentally as a result of the loss of balance. No flag was trampled on or damaged," her office said.
Hassan’s aides said the action was part of her protest against the Israeli government’s policies and insisted that it “was in no way directed at the people whom the event was intended to honor, nor at their memory."
Last year, Israel barred Hassan from entering the country after she arrived with a European Union delegation and she was returned from Ben Gurion Airport. Several months later, she also took part in the Sumud flotilla to Gaza and was deported from Israel again.
In recent months, Hassan was also detained in Paris on suspicion of supporting terrorism.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded to the incident, writing: “Shameful, brazen, but unfortunately not surprising. The vandalism of the exhibition commemorating the victims of October 7 at the European Parliament by MEP Rima Hassan of the radical left says, above all, how little respect she has for the institution in which she serves. I commend the members of the European Parliament who immediately condemned this shameful act, and I thank Roberta Metsola for her determination and for making clear that such an offense will be treated with the utmost seriousness."