French MEP Removes Israeli Flag in Protest Over Gaza and 'Double Standards'

A French member of the European Parliament removed an Israeli flag in a protest action, citing objections over the war in Gaza and what she described as double standards, according to Anadolu Agency.

Rima Hassan, the MEP behind the gesture, said "my gesture is part of the denunciation of the ongoing genocide, of violations of international law," referring to the conflict in Gaza.

The action is the latest in a series of pointed political gestures by European lawmakers over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reflecting continued divisions within European institutions over how to characterize and respond to the war in Gaza.

Hassan has been a vocal critic of Israeli policy in Gaza and the West Bank, and has previously drawn attention and controversy for her statements and actions on the issue within the European Parliament.

The report did not detail the specific setting in which the flag was removed or any institutional response from the European Parliament to the incident.