A man in France was arrested and will be put on trial for allegedly kidnapping, raping, and making death threats against a French Jewish woman, with the suspect reportedly seeking revenge for Palestinians, local French media reported.
France: Man suspected of abducting, raping Jewish woman 'to avenge Palestine' https://t.co/mtgswvjnqE
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) April 23, 2024
The 32-year-old man from Gennevilliers, just a few kilometers away from Paris with one of the biggest immigrant populations in all of the city’s suburbs, was charged on April 23rd with false imprisonment and death threats, with the rape allegations still being investigated.
The Jewish woman met the suspect through a dating app in 2023 and told French authorities that the man raped her and she was being held against her will in his apartment. The prosecution also said the suspect sent text messages to the victim’s mother.
“Good luck. You will never find your daughter again; you will never see her again. I will prostitute your daughter,” the suspect allegedly texted the victim’s mother.
That poor woman and her family. I hope justice is served. This is what happens when terrorist acts are framed as resistance and authorities won’t call out Islamic extremism.
— Yannagirl (@saltygirl26) April 23, 2024
The man also reportedly sent text messages to the woman’s ex-boyfriend, saying that he kidnapped and raped her to “avenge Palestine.” According to French media, the suspect acknowledged the text messages he sent but said they were simply provocations.
French police arrested the man in Gennevilliers on April 21st after the victim was able to use her phone to alert her mother to the situation. The text messages sent by the suspect helped the police in geo-locating the victim’s phone and ending her ordeal after several days.
Although the man was initially charged with kidnapping, the kidnapping accusation was later dropped. A trial is set for June 21st.
Reports of the alleged crimes sparked outrage among organizations, activists, and politicians. Elsa Faucillon, a left-wing MP for Hauts-de-Seine, described the incident in her constituency as an antisemitic act and offered solidarity with the woman.
Senator Pierre Ouzoulias of the French Communist Party (PCF) said the incident provided new proof that “antisemitism is a terrible poison.”
Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, blamed left-wing politicians for failing to address the climate of rising antisemitism since the October 7 attacks, where Hamas launched a series of deadly attacks against Israel that claimed the lives of 1,200 Israelis and took hundreds of Israelis and foreigners, hostage.
Israel has lied about rape, both commited by them and against them, that nobody believes you anymore. You caused the fact that nobody believes this stuff anymore.
— Christian Drake (@ChristianDrakes) April 24, 2024
“I provide all my support to the victim and to our Jewish compatriots,” Le Pen said.
The Interministerial Delegation for the Fight against Racism, Antisemitism, and Anti-LGBT Hatred said on social media that “antisemitism, particularly under the guise of anti-Zionism, is everyone’s business in our Republic and must be fought tirelessly.”
Collectif Nous Vivrons, the “We Live” collective formed the day after October 7 to fight against racism and antisemitism, said that importing the Israel-Hamas war into France enabled such events to happen and the ensuing disinformation and agitation has put a target on the backs of the French Jewish community.
