This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Amnesty International warned on Monday about the potential impact of a proposed French law aimed at penalising anti-Zionism, saying it could effectively make support for Palestinians a criminal offence.
In a statement posted on the X platform, the organisation’s France branch criticised what is known as the “Yadan law”, warning it could lead to “criminalising support for Palestinians”.
The statement said French MP Caroline Yadan plans to submit the bill to the National Assembly on 16 April, cautioning that it could open the door to “extremely serious abuses”.
The draft law, first introduced in November 2024, proposes penalties for denying the existence of the State of Israel or comparing it to the Nazi regime.
READ: Algerian president, Pope Leo XIV call for justice for Palestinians
The French parliament is set to begin debating the bill, titled “Combating new forms of antisemitism”, starting on 16th April.
Supporters of the Palestinian cause and left-wing lawmakers oppose the proposal, arguing it could be used to punish anti-Zionism and criticism of Israel under the guise of tackling antisemitism.
More than 500,000 people have signed a petition on the parliament’s website opposing the bill, while a protest against it was held in Paris on Sunday.
READ: Israeli army detains 30 Palestinians in West Bank raids
- Sanctioned tanker crosses Hormuz despite US blockade
- Amnesty warns French bill could criminalise solidarity with Palestinians
- Hezbollah launches ‘hard-to-detect’ drone for first time: Israeli broadcaster
- Israel rejects Lebanon ceasefire during Washington talks: Report
- What kind of colonialism is Trump deploying in the Middle East?
- Turkish top diplomat says Netanyahu seeking to designate Turkey as a new enemy
- Israeli airstrikes hit southern Lebanon and Tyre’s ancient citadel
- Algerian president, Pope Leo XIV call for justice for Palestinians
- UNESCO-listed shrine destroyed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon
- Pope Leo XIV vows to continue opposing war despite Trump criticism
- Jerusalem church leader condemns Trump’s self-comparison to Jesus
- Iran’s parliament speaker backs Pope Leo after Trump criticism
- 6 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza despite ongoing ceasefire
- More than 80 Mideast energy facilities damaged in war, over one-third severely hit: IEA chief
- Trump post depicting himself as Jesus removed from social media
- US begins blockading ships entering or exiting Iranian ports
- UN experts urge end to attacks on Gaza shelters, forced displacement in West Bank
- Trump warns any Iranian ships that come close to US blockade ‘will be immediately eliminated’
- 5 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza despite ongoing ceasefire
- J Street backs ending US military aid to Israel in sign of widening Democratic shift
- French cement company Lafarge found guilty of financing terrorism in Syria
- Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss regional developments
- Ceasefire with Iran could collapse ‘in very short time,’ Israeli premier says
- Hezbollah claims 11 attacks on Israeli targets as sirens sound 15 times in northern Israel
- Israeli army detains 30 Palestinians in West Bank raids
- Israel’s ‘rock’ in Europe, anti-Muslim far-right leader Viktor Orbán, defeated in landmark election
- Israeli Knesset committee head responds to Trump over Iran threats
- Iran Khamenei’s advisor affirms Strait of Hormuz firmly under Iran’s control
- Egypt rejects “parallel entities” in Sudan, calls for unity
- Netanyahu to hold security meeting on possible renewal of Iran fighting
- “University city” emerges in Khan Younis to revive education in Gaza
- Hamas condemns repeated storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound
- Israeli minister announces approval of 33 new settlements in occupied West Bank
- Hezbollah: Ukraine unable to help itself, its statements on confronting Iran ‘absurd’
- Trump attacks Pope Leo, posts ‘shocking’ image as Christ
- Saudi Arabia summons Iraqi ambassador, hands over protest note
- Gaza faces deliberate pattern of genocide and suffocation of life, says MSF
- Iran says over 940 schools damaged in US-Israeli attacks
- The US attack on Iran is a wrecking ball aimed at its foundations
- UK will not join US blockade of Strait of Hormuz
- Lebanon says 35 killed in Israeli attacks over past 24 hours, death toll rises to 2,055
- Does diplomacy through the use of military force always succeed?
- Trump says other nations will assist US in naval blockade against Iran
- How the Iran war turned civilian lifelines into bargaining currency
- Global Sumud Flotilla sets sail again from Barcelona to Gaza with double participation
- 2 dead bodies arrive at Gaza hospitals, death toll surges to over 72,320
- Varying degrees of silence over colonialism and annexation
- South Korean president vows respect for ‘universal human rights’ amid online exchanges with Israel
- Iran says it identified 3,375 people killed in US-Israeli attacks
- Israeli ministers hint at possible resumption of attacks on Iran