Paris condemns “with firmness” of the remarks of the Minister of Spanish Transport, who described Jewish adolescents landed as “Israeli kids”

The French government condemns “With firmness” The words of the Spanish Minister of Transport who had created an amalgamation by saying that Jewish French adolescents landed on July 23 of a plane from the Spanish company Vueling, were “Israeli kids”. According to Vueling, adolescents endangered the safety of the flight by trying to handle oxygen masks and life jackets.

“The ministers firmly condemn the Declaration of the Minister of Spanish Transport assimilating French children of Jewish faith to Israeli citizens, as if this justified in any way the treatment to which they were exposed”said Benjamin Haddad, Minister in charge of Europe on Wednesday, and Aurore Bergé, Minister of the Fight against Discrimination (and Equality between Women and Men).

According to several media, Oscar Puente, Minister of Transport of the left government of Pedro Sanchez, had published on Friday on X a post criticizing the right and accusing him of not defending the Spanish airline for “Team with Israeli kids”. He deleted his post on Saturday, said the newspaper The reason. The France-Presse agency (AFP) did not see it when it was online, and did not see any archive.

The ministers also denounce the action of the Spanish security forces, accusing them of brutality against an accompanist of children. “No act justifies the landing and excessive and brutal use of the force of the Civil Guardia against the young woman, who has just been notified of 15 days of[incapacité totale de travail] »they denounce.

“Conflictual” attitude

The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, when this group, which had been in Spain for two weeks, was about to take off from Valence Airport (Southeast) to Paris-Orly. In press releases on Thursday then Friday, the Spanish company, which opened an internal investigation, attributed this incident to adolescents, accused of having had a “Inappropriate behavior” et “A strongly conflicting attitude, jeopardizing the smooth running of the flight”.

Vueling said that “The group of adolescents manipulated passenger safety equipment, which represented a high risk for the plane, passengers and crew”. They notably attempted, according to the company, “To take the life jackets, to handle the oxygen masks located on the ceiling and to remove the high pressure oxygen cylinder”as well as to disrupt the security demonstration.

Ce “Inappropriate behavior” continued “Despite the increasingly firm warnings of the crew”so that ultimately “The commander was forced to request the intervention of the civil guard”said Vueling. “We reiterate that the landing of passengers was done exclusively for security reasons”she said.

The organizer of the colony, on the contrary, claimed that adolescents had been landed “Without valid motif”. The association Club Kineret, organizer of the summer camp, announced its intention to file a complaint against the carrier “For physical, psychological violence and discrimination on the foundation of religion”.

French ministers, who spoke Wednesday with the guide, “Note that his testimony is confirmed by other passengers present on board”they say. The company also claims to have testimonies of passengers corroborating its version.