European Parliament Reviews Israeli Flag Removal at October 7 Memorial
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said procedures were underway after French MEP Rima Hassan removed an Israeli flag from an exhibition remembering October 7 victims. Hassan acknowledges the removal but denies damaging or trampling either the Israeli or European flag.
The European Parliament is examining an incident at an October 7 memorial in Strasbourg after a member removed the Israeli flag displayed there. President Roberta Metsola told lawmakers on Tuesday, October 6, that the matter was being taken seriously and addressed under Parliament's procedures, according to AFP.
The incident occurred on Monday, October 5. Tuesday's development was the institutional response, with Hassan's account to be considered before any disciplinary decision.
What Hassan acknowledges, and what she disputes
Hassan's office confirmed that she took the Israeli flag off its support. It said the European Union flag subsequently fell because the two flags shared a base and removing one upset its balance, according to Euronews.
Her office denied that either flag had been stepped on or damaged. Those denials matter because the admitted removal does not establish every allegation made about the encounter.
Israel National News reported that Hassan's aides described her action as a protest against Israeli government policy and denied that it targeted the people commemorated by the exhibition or their memory.
The setting was a memorial to victims of the Hamas-led terrorist attack of October 7, 2023. The intervention therefore concerned a display dedicated to remembrance, as well as a national symbol associated with Israel.
Metsola puts safety and remembrance at the center
In remarks reported by Greek public broadcaster ERT, Metsola rejected intimidation and damage as substitutes for parliamentary dialogue. She linked the response to a broader responsibility toward Europe's Jewish community amid rising antisemitism.
Her message was that Jewish communities should be able to see the European Parliament as an institution that belongs to them too. She also stressed the right of the member concerned to be heard. Protecting a memorial and following a disciplinary process were both part of the response she described.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar condemned the incident and thanked Metsola and lawmakers who had spoken against it, ERT reported, reproducing his statement.
A review is underway, not a completed ruling
Euronews reported that Parliament's presidency was examining material related to the incident and that a decision would not be made during the current plenary session. Possible disciplinary action remained a prospective outcome, rather than an announced sanction.
The distinction is important for understanding Tuesday's news. Parliament's leadership has committed itself to addressing conduct at a victims' memorial, while the precise sequence and disputed allegations remain subject to review. Hassan's acknowledgment establishes the removal; it does not settle the separate questions about the EU flag or any damage.
