Smotrich cancels Paris trip amid security concerns before France-Israel football match

Bezalel Smotrich’s spokesperson announced on Tuesday that the far-right Israeli minister will not travel to France after he was expected to visit Paris to participate in a pro-Israel event this week.

“There is no planned visit to Paris,” Smotrich’s spokesperson told AFP when asked about the Israeli finance minister’s possible visit to the French capital.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had earlier indicated that he had not received confirmation of the visit during a joint interview with France 24 television and RFI radio.

Bezalel Smotrich appears on the Israel Forever Foundation gala poster, which will be held in Paris on Wednesday, a pro-Israel event organised by far-right figures. However, Smotrich’s virtual participation in the event has not been ruled out.

The celebration, which left-wing associations, unions and parties have unsuccessfully tried to cancel, is taking place on the eve of a match between the French and Israeli national football teams in Paris.

The French authorities consider this match high risk after the violence that took place last Thursday in Amsterdam on the sidelines of a match between Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam.

The far-right minister’s arrival has raised tensions, especially after the controversy over Smotrich’s pledge on Monday to annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank by 2025, which are illegal under international law, describing Donald Trump’s return to power in the US as an “opportunity”.

READ: Paris sticks to France-Israel match, saying it will not bow to anti-Semitism

Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nunez said he knew that Smotrich ultimately wouldn’t visit, noting that the visit may be replaced by a video appearance, according to Le Parisien.

Barrot was also asked about the French Foreign Ministry’s summoning of the Israeli ambassador to Paris, Joshua Zarka, on Tuesday, over a diplomatic incident last week during the French minister’s trip to Israel: “This is an opportunity for France to reiterate that it will not tolerate the entry of Israeli armed forces into areas under its administration and protection, and to strongly reiterate that this incident must never happen again.”

He stressed that recalling an ambassador is the “first” degree of sanctions without answering a question about any other possible sanctions.

Last Thursday, Israeli police officers entered a site under French administration armed and without authorisation in East Jerusalem, known as The Church of the Pater Noster, which the French foreign minister was preparing to visit.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry indicated: “The procedures were clarified ahead of time in the preparatory discussion with the Embassy of France in Israel.”

It stressed: “During the visit, an argument arose between the Israeli security forces and two French security guards who refused to identify themselves. The two were detained by the police and released immediately after identifying themselves as diplomats.”

French diplomatic sources considered these allegations “false”, noting that it was apparent to everyone that they were members of the consular gendarmes, who are employees with diplomatic status.

READ: France bans Palestinian flag from football match against Israel