EU Parliament Investigates French MEP Rima Hassan Over Israel Flag Incident

An investigation has been launched in the European Parliament following an incident where French Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan allegedly removed the Israeli flag from a display commemorating victims of the October 7th attacks. The incident, which occurred on October 5, 2026, also saw the EU flag, displayed on the same stand, fall to the floor. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola stated on October 6th that she takes the accusations "very seriously" and that parliamentary services are examining the situation. Hassan is expected to provide her account to Metsola. Hassan's office acknowledged she removed the Israeli flag but denied allegations of trampling it, claiming she took it down as she was leaving the exhibition. They stated the EU flag fell accidentally due to the stand losing balance, and neither flag was trampled or damaged. Her representatives asserted that Hassan explained her actions immediately after the incident, describing it as a protest against the "ongoing genocide committed by the Israeli government" and not directed at the exhibition's honorees. French MEP François-Xavier Bellamy of the right-wing party first raised accusations, reporting that he heard witnesses describe Hassan knocking down the flags. He posted a photo of the flags on the floor, calling the act an "abetment of those who seek to bring antisemitic hatred back to Europe." Another MEP, Nathalie Loiseau, also accused Hassan of trampling the Israeli flag. The 34-year-old French-Palestinian lawyer, a vocal critic of Israel, has been a frequent target of controversy. Her political platform centers on accusing Israel of "apartheid" and "genocide" in Gaza. She has been expelled from Israel three times in 2025. Hassan is also facing legal scrutiny in France, having been detained on suspicion of supporting terrorism for a social media post quoting Kodzo Okamoto, a participant in the 1972 Lod Airport attack. The investigation was expanded to include suspected drug possession after a small amount of synthetic narcotics was found in her bag during her detention. Additionally, a French Jewish organization filed a complaint against Hassan in December 2024 for a post comparing the right of French-Israeli citizens to serve in the IDF with the right of French-Palestinian citizens to join "Palestinian armed resistance," which the organization interpreted as support for terrorism. Hassan has stated that alongside her criticism of Israel, she also condemns "Hamas's war crimes."