French Justice Accused of Servility to Netanyahu, Sparking Outrage

French politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon has ignited a firestorm by accusing the French government of "servility" towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting French judicial proceedings were influenced by Israeli demands. The controversy erupted following the prosecution's request for a ten-month suspended sentence and two-year ineligibility for Eurodeputy Rima Hassan, who faces charges of glorifying terrorism for relaying a quote from Kozo Okamoto, a perpetrator of the 1972 Lod airport attack. Mélenchon, a prominent figure in the La France Insoumise (LFI) party, voiced his accusation on social media platform X, stating that "Macronie is sinking into the shame of all abuses of power and servility to Netanyahu's demands." This statement drew sharp condemnation from several French ministers. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin called the remarks "inadmissible" and a "grave problem with the rule of law," emphasizing the importance of judicial independence. Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described it as a "very serious attack" on judicial independence and a "profoundly anti-democratic drift." Minister Delegate for Europe Benjamin Haddad went further, deeming Mélenchon's words "worthy of the worst antisemitic rags of the 1930s." The watchdog group Conspiracy Watch noted that the French Justice Minister cannot issue instructions in individual cases and pointed out that Paris prosecutors had previously dismissed multiple complaints against Hassan. The group characterized Mélenchon's insinuation of indirect Israeli government intervention as a "conspiracy theory" lacking evidence. LFI officials, while denouncing what they called political instrumentalization of justice, did not elaborate on Mélenchon's specific reference to Netanyahu's demands, with the article suggesting the rhetoric was aimed at mobilizing LFI's voter base.