A French far-left MP has ignited a political controversy by asserting that Israeli athletes should be barred from the Paris Olympics due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
This statement has been criticized by senior officials and Jewish organizations, with one minister suggesting it carries “hints of anti-Semitism.”
Thomas Portes, a member of France Unbowed (LFI), was accused by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin of “putting a target on the backs of Israeli athletes,” a sentiment echoed by a prominent Jewish group.
Yonathan Arfi, leader of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, described Portes’s remarks as “irresponsible” and argued that they “legitimise Hamas,” the group behind the recent escalation in Gaza.
At a pro-Palestinian rally, Portes declared, “the Israeli delegation is not welcome in Paris.
Israeli sportspeople are not welcome at the Paris Olympic Games,” and called for a “mobilisation” against their participation.
He later suggested in an interview with the Parisien newspaper that “France’s diplomats should pressure the International Olympic Committee to bar the Israeli flag and anthem, as is done for Russia.”
Portes’s comments come in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has led to a decision allowing only a limited number of Russian athletes to compete in Paris as individuals, following a vetting process.
The LFI’s stance on the Gaza conflict was a significant issue in their recent European election campaign.
The Hamas-run health ministry has reported nearly 39,000 deaths in Gaza, primarily among women and children.
The LFI’s ambiguous response to the violence has caused fractures within left-wing alliances, which have since struggled to unite despite securing first place in recent parliamentary elections.
Beyond Darmanin and the Jewish organization, Portes faced criticism from some of his political allies, including members of the Socialist party and conservative figures.
Socialist MP Jérôme Guedj countered, “Of course Israeli athletes are welcome, like all sportspeople from all over the world. Not for who they are but for what they do.”
Despite the backlash, some LFI members supported Portes’s position. MP Aymeric Caron argued, “The Israeli flag, stained with the blood of Gaza’s innocents, should not fly in Paris this summer.”
Israeli football players are scheduled to compete against Mali at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on Wednesday, two days before the Olympics officially begin.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog plans to attend the boat parade on the Seine and a memorial for the 1972 Munich victims.
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