by Mathilda and Jerusalem Post Staff
According to the report, the decision was made by French authorities due to the ongoing war in Gaza and tensions between Israel and France.
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French authorities have stopped renewing work visas for El Al security personnel employed in Paris as ITAN staff (Israeli citizens working in diplomatic missions). Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that Israel’s embassy in France was handling the matter in conjunction with the French foreign ministry.
According to a Ynet report, the decision was made by French authorities due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas War and tensions between Israel and France.
Ynet reported that the work visas granted to Israeli staff gave them the ability to legally live and work in France, but halting the visas changes their status, and are they are now considered to be working and residing in the country illegally. Many workers were therefore forced to obtain diplomatic visas through the Israeli embassy, which only provides them with a temporary status.
American Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee responded to the reported development on social media, posting, “Say it ain’t so, France. Say it ain’t so! What happened to France?”
Say it ain't so, France. Say it ain't so! What happened to France?https://t.co/yYINISH1Gh
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) August 12, 2025
An El Al security guard in Paris told Ynet, “In the past six months, none of the employees whose work visas expired have received renewals.”
El Al employee says 'this has never happened before'
He added, “This has never happened before, and no one has been granted new approvals. It seems they are trying to end the employment of El Al security personnel in France.”According to Ynet, the airline’s management is referring its personnel to Israel’s Foreign Ministry, but many have been unable to obtain visas and have since returned to Israel.
In a separate incident on Monday night, El Al pilots reported to management that an air traffic controller at Paris’s Charles De Gaulle Airport shouted “Free Palestine” at them over the intercom as the plane was taxiing to the runway.
El Al told the Post on Tuesday that it is taking the incident “very seriously.”
“We are taking action on the matter with the authorities in Israel, who are in contact with the authorities in France,” the flagship Israeli airline said.
The airline emphasized that it would “continue to fly around the world with the Israeli flag on the tails of its aircraft with pride.”
Last week, El Al offices in Paris were vandalized in what the company called a “harsh anti-Israel incident,” with the doors and walls of the building sprayed with signs reading: “El Al genocide airline.”
The Israeli company decided to evacuate all its personnel from the French capital after the incident, with another foreign company providing services to customers at the terminal.
“The severe incident was discovered this morning and occurred while the building was empty, and there was no danger to the company’s employees,” the airline said in a statement.
“El Al views the incident seriously and is working on handling the matter with the authorities, following the guidelines of the competent authorities in France and Israel. El Al proudly flies the Israeli flag on the tails of its planes and condemns all forms of violence, especially antisemitic violence.”
The Post contacted the Israeli embassy in France for comment, but had received no response by press time.
Mathilda and Jerusalem Post Staff
Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-863962
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