French MEP Rima Hassan Faces Backlash Over Flag Incident at European Parliament Oct. 7 Exhibition

French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan is facing criticism after being accused of removing an Israeli flag from an exhibition in Strasbourg commemorating the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

According to RFI, Hassan, a member of the French left, is accused by critics of overturning the Israeli flag during the exhibition, which was organized to mark the anniversary of the attack carried out by Hamas-led fighters. Critics have also alleged that a European Union flag was knocked down during the same incident.

The European Parliament has faced scrutiny over the episode, and the French-Palestinian lawmaker has drawn criticism from colleagues over the incident. RFI reported that Hassan is at the center of criticism within the parliament in Strasbourg.

Hassan has previously been a vocal critic of Israel's policies toward Palestinians, and her political positions have repeatedly made her a focal point of disputes within the European Parliament. The exact circumstances of the flag incident, including her own account of what occurred, were not detailed in the available report.

The European Parliament has not announced any formal disciplinary action in connection with the incident. Reaction from Hassan or her office was not included in the available reporting.