By A prominent French Jewish organization criticized hard-left MP Thomas Portes for his remarks that Israeli athletes should be barred from the Paris Olympics due to the Gaza conflict. Yonathan Arfi, head of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, condemned Portes’ comments as “irresponsible” and harmful, stating that they risked endangering Israeli athletes.
Portes had made these statements at a rally supporting Palestinians, calling for the exclusion of the Israeli delegation and urging France to pressure the International Olympic Committee to prevent the display of the Israeli flag and anthem. This call for exclusion has been met with significant backlash from various political figures, including some from the Portes’ party, the Socialist party, and conservative members. Meanwhile, Israeli athletes are scheduled to compete in the Paris Olympics, with their first match against Mali set to take place at Parc des Princes stadium two days before the opening ceremony.
