A conference at a Paris university last Wednesday honoring a recently released Lebanese terrorist featured a video address by a leading member of a Palestinian terrorist organization and praise for the October 7 massacre.
The far Left revolutionary meeting of over 300 people at Paris 8 University was supposed to include remote speeches by Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions (LARF) founder Georges Abdallah and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine official Mariam Abu Daqqa, but only the latter participated.
Daqqa told the students and activists that they were playing an important part in supporting Gaza, according to a video uploaded on social media by event organizer United Campaign for the Liberation of Georges Abdallah (CUPLGIA). The PFLP leader said that everyone had a duty to resist imperialism and colonialism, of which the US was the “head of the snake.”
“Imperialism and Zionism are a danger to the entire world. We are partners in the struggle against imperialism, Zionism, and fascism,” said Daqqa. “We are all required to unite. Unite, free people of the world, wherever you are. Unite to defeat imperialism, Zionism, and fascism.”
Daqqa claimed that the war in Gaza was an unprecedented extermination and part of a broader campaign to control the resources of the Arab world. She assured that with the help of the activists, the Palestinians would achieve a victory and establish a Palestinian state “from its sea to its river.” She noted that there was no place for an expansionist settler “occupier” that “threatens world peace.”
Daqqa, whose PFLP is designated a terrorist organization by the European Union, according to France 24, had previously been expelled from the country in 2023 because the Interior Ministry felt that she was a safety risk following the October 7 massacre.
While Abdallah didn’t participate as scheduled, the organizer, Revolutionary Youth League, said on Instagram on Friday that CUPLGIA presented an assessment about the campaign to release him and to learn from its lessons. Flags and posters from the campaign were displayed in the hall.
Abdallah in French prison over 40 years
Abdallah had been imprisoned in a French prison for over 40 years for involvement in the 1982 assassination of American officer Colonel Charles Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Bar-Simantov. After decades of appeals and campaigns, the PFLP-affiliated terrorist was released in July.
According to a Wednesday report by Leon, participants declared unconditional support for the Palestinian “resistance” and rejected denunciation of the October 7 massacre.
“Do you condemn October 7?” activists were asked in a portion of the event filmed by Leon. In unison, they replied, “No!”
Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) president Yonathan Arfi said on X/Twitter on Tuesday that action had to be taken against such behavior.
The Union of Jewish Students of France (UEJF) on Wednesday denounced the invitation of Abdallah and the participation of Daqqa and announced that it was filing a complaint.
“The glorification of murder and terrorism has no place at the university,” UEJF said on social media.