A conference in which the French-Palestinian lawyer Salah Al-Hamouri , who was expelled by Israel late last year, sparked controversy in France, following quarrels between dozens of Jewish students and supporters of the Palestinians.

The altercations took place on Tuesday night during a conference at a prestigious Parisian university, where dozens of Jewish students protested his presence. According to the scenes of the accident, which were spread on social media, screams were raised, a stampede occurred, and at least one punch was dealt.

The two sides quickly exchanged accusations and denounced the other side, as supporters of the Palestinians criticized the presence of "extremists" who had come to impose "censorship" on "criticism of Israeli policies," while the other side denounced what it described as "hatred of Jews," "anti-Semitism," and "supporters of Palestinian terrorism." ".

The head of the Union of Jewish Students in France, Samuel Lugoyo, who was affected by the punch, filed a complaint about what he described as "aggravated violence", while the deputy from the "France Father" (extreme left) party, Arsila Soudais, filed another complaint for being subjected to a "violent attack" by the students. The federation pledged to file a new complaint against the deputy for defamation.

Samuel Legoyo told AFP that Salah al-Hamouri's conference constitutes "a hateful import of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which poisons the lives of Jewish students in France," denouncing what he described as "the extremism of the pro-Palestinian camp."

For her part, Rep. Sodis, who is also vice-chair of a study group in the National Assembly on anti-Semitism, said the accusation was "ridiculous," stressing, "This is always the argument they use."

The United Nations described Israel's expulsion of the lawyer as a "war crime," because "international humanitarian law prohibits the expulsion of protected persons from occupied territory," according to Jeremy Lawrence, a spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Elias Jeffrey of the Association of Christians Against Torture (ACAT), which awarded Hammouri its award for human rights in 2022, told AFP last November, "He was forced to plead guilty to mitigate the punishment he was facing, but he is innocent."

The Jewish organizations repeat Israel's accusations of links between Hammouri and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which the Hebrew state and the European Union consider a "terrorist organization".

Jad Weil, head of the French-Jewish "Judaisme en mouvement" movement, considered that the Hebrew state is a "state of law" and that the sanctions imposed on Hammouri are legitimate because Israel is a "democratic regime."

Al-Hamouri was imprisoned in Israel between 2005 and 2011 for his participation in the attempt to assassinate Ovadia Yosef, the former chief rabbi of Israel and founder of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party.

Al-Hamouri was placed under administrative detention, which allows the Israeli authorities to imprison Palestinians without trial for a period of six months, subject to renewal. Neither the prisoners nor their lawyers are informed of the reason for their arrest.

The Israeli authorities, who expelled Hammouri on December 18 to France, said, "From a young age, Hammouri supported terrorist acts and used his residence permit in Israel for these actions."

Al-Hamouri was born in East Jerusalem, which was occupied and annexed by the Jewish state in 1967. He does not hold Israeli citizenship but a residence permit that was revoked by the Israeli authorities. He also holds French citizenship from his mother.

Al-Hamouri denies this. "There is no proof. This is not true," he told AFP. "If I were a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Israel would have judged and condemned me."

And last January, the municipality of Lyon canceled a seminar by Hammouri, stressing its keenness on "harmony" in the city in the face of "severe tensions."

The head of the French-Palestinian Solidarity Association, Bertrand Heilbronn, regrets what he described as "an increasing and important alignment of the French state with the Israeli government." Pointing out that Hammouri had previously "toured everywhere (in France) and that did not pose any problem at all."

Al-Hamouri denounces "harassment" by supporters of the Israeli "occupier" who want to "silence" him, even to the "Ministry of Interior".