A Palestinian student on a French government scholarship is being expelled from France after allegedly posting antisemitic remarks online, prompting authorities to suspend her visa and launch an investigation.
French Digital Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed that the 25-year-old woman, who was set to begin studies at Sciences Po Lille this fall, has had her university accreditation withdrawn and will now be removed from the country. The decision comes amid heightened scrutiny of online hate speech, especially in the context of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
The student had arrived in France in July as part of a humanitarian program that has helped evacuate more than 500 people from Gaza following the outbreak of war in October 2023. She was among those granted temporary relocation through a scheme overseen by France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
However, her recent social media activity came under review, and authorities say her posts were “in direct contradiction” with the values upheld by the university. Sciences Po Lille confirmed to French media that her comments were indeed antisemitic and incompatible with the institution’s code of conduct.
France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau took to X (formerly Twitter) to call for the closure of her account and legal action, stating, “Hamas propagandists have no place in our country.”
Minister Barrot added that existing security screenings conducted by both French and Israeli agencies had failed to flag the student’s past remarks. As a result, all other Palestinian evacuees who entered France under similar circumstances will now be subject to a new round of security checks.
The case highlights growing tensions in France over extremism, hate speech, and the broader fallout of the Israel-Gaza war. While the country has extended humanitarian aid to civilians caught in the conflict, officials are drawing firm lines around the limits of tolerance especially when it comes to online incitement.
-Deeprows News
