French politician says Israeli athletes not allowed at Olympics in Paris.

In the midst of the excitement and anticipation leading up to the Paris Olympics, French MP Thomas Portes caused quite a stir with his recent remarks regarding Israeli athletes. Speaking at a pro-Palestinian rally, Portes, a member of the far-left party France Unbowed, boldly stated that the Israeli delegation was not welcome in Paris. He went on to assert that Israeli athletes should have to compete under a neutral flag due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Portes' comments came on the heels of the International Olympic Committee's decision to ban Russian and Belarussian athletes from participating under their national flags due to the conflict in Ukraine. Portes urged France's diplomats to push for a similar ban on the Israeli flag and anthem, citing a need to end the "double standard."

However, his words were met with swift and widespread backlash, particularly from the Jewish community. Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions, called Portes "irresponsible" and pointed out the dangerous implications of his statements. He highlighted the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes were tragically killed by Palestinian terrorists, and warned that Portes' words were legitimizing the terrorist group Hamas.

Aurelien Le Coq, a fellow member of Portes' party, also showed support for his colleague, emphasizing the ongoing "genocide" in Gaza and calling for solidarity with Portes. The conflict in Gaza has claimed thousands of lives, including many innocent civilians, and has led to a humanitarian crisis in the region.

As the Olympics approach, Paris is ramping up security measures with 45,000 personnel being deployed. However, the controversy surrounding the participation of certain athletes has overshadowed this preparation. Last week, there was also uproar over the inclusion of a convicted child sex offender in the Olympics, who has since decided to stay away from the athletes' village.

Despite the tension and controversy, the Paris Olympics are set to kick off on Friday evening. The president of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, Tony Estanguet, assured the public that security has been their top priority in planning the event. As we eagerly await the start of the games, let us hope that the spirit of unity and friendly competition will prevail over divisive rhetoric and political agendas. Stay tuned for the latest updates from Metro!

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