The Israeli flag carrier El Al claims a French air traffic controller at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport uttered the words “Free Palestine” to the pilots of one of its planes shortly after takeoff on Monday.
El Al Israel Airlines flies between Tel Aviv and Paris up to five times per day, although the alleged incident is believed to have occurred just after flight LY-325 departed the French capital at 11:20 pm on August 11.
In a statement sent to local broadcasters, El Al said it had complained to Israel’s civil aviation regulators over the “unprofessional and inappropriate” language used by the French air traffic controller.
“El Al views the incident that occurred last night, in which a French air traffic controller addressed the company’s pilot in an unprofessional and inappropriate manner, seriously,” the airline said in a statement.
“We are working on the issue with the Israeli authorities, who are in contact with the French authorities. El Al will continue to fly around the world with the Israeli flag proudly on the tail of its aircraft, while ensuring professionalism and the safety and security of passengers and crew.”
The airline did not release any further details about the alleged incident, but it comes less than a week after El Al’s office in the center of Paris was vandalized with red paint that was sprayed over the front entrance.
Protestors also daubed the words “Free Palestine” on the outside of the building, alongside a message that read: “El Al genocide airline.”
The French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot criticized the vandalism, saying in a post on his X account, “that acts of hatred and antisemitism have no place in France.”
Tabarot’s Israeli counterpart, Miri Regev, however, blamed the attack on French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognize the state of Palestine in September.
France has been particularly critical of Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent announcement to take full control of Gaza, saying on Tuesday that further occupation in the north of the territory would “constitute a disaster and a headlong rush, of which the Israeli hostages and the civilian population of Gaza would once again be the first victims.”
‘Free Palestine’ Messages Rock The Airline Industry
At the start of August, the Spanish airline Iberia was forced to apoligize after a Jewish passenger was served a Kosher meal on a long-haul flight from Buenos Aires to Madrid with the words ‘Free Palestine’ scribbled on the packaging.
Several other passengers who had ordered Kosher meals also had the initials ‘FP’ scrawled on their meals.
Iberia said it was taking the complaint seriously and suspected that someone in the airline’s contract catering kitchen in Argentina was responsible.
Just days later, a U.S.-based antisemitism group claimed a Jewish passenger on a recent JetBlue flight was served a Kosher meal with the words ‘Zio Nazi’ scribbled on a sticker attached to the packaging.
In response, a spokesperson for the airline said: “At JetBlue, we have zero tolerance for hate, bias, or discrimination. We are deeply disturbed by the image circulating on social media and have launched an immediate investigation to determine which flight this may have occurred on.”
“So far, no reports or complaints have been submitted by any customers. Nonetheless, our investigation is ongoing and we have notified the authorities to assist,” the statement added.
Paris is moving farther and farther left, leaving behind acceptable decorum such as this incident.