Adama Bamba
17 Avril 2026
AA / Istanbul / Adama Bamba
The French Eurodeputy Rima Hassan has highlighted a “gap” between European public opinion and the policies pursued by the European Union institutions, calling for a reevaluation of their position towards Israel.
In an interview with Anadolu, she stated that the European citizen initiative aiming to request the suspension of the association agreement between the European Union and Israel “reveals a gap between public opinion and the policy being pursued by European institutions”. She emphasized that this mobilization, which could reach “1.5 million European voices”, is “significant and must be heard”.
Rima Hassan pointed out that some studies had already advocated for “important and significant sanctions”, while condemning the European Union’s inaction towards the situation in Gaza. “Allowing two years of genocide, a policy of colonization and occupation, apartheid, pogroms, terrorism,” she stated, suggesting that these actions could implicate those supporting Israel.
She identified two major issues for the European Union: “the issue of credibility and consistency on the defense of human rights” and “complicity with the crimes committed by Israel”. “And especially, because it is the most serious, it is the crime of genocide in Gaza,” she insisted.
“The European Commission must listen to it and this must be reflected in its policy towards the state of Israel,” she continued, calling for a concrete consideration of citizen mobilization.
She also warned against a loss of credibility for the European Union. “The European Union cannot position itself as an actor defending international law and human rights if it is not consistent on this issue,” she affirmed.
Furthermore, these statements come at a sensitive judicial time for Rima Hassan. According to media reports, she had been subjected to surveillance measures in the context of an investigation opened on March 27 for “apology for terrorism”, linked to posts on social networks.
These measures reportedly included the geolocation of her phone line and the reconstruction of her movements over several months, both in France and abroad, based on requisitions from transport operators and administrative databases.
Questioned in the National Assembly, the Minister of the Interior allegedly referred the responsibility for these practices to the judicial authority, as reported by the national coordinator of La France insoumise.
