Move prevents airline employees from working legally in country; Israel's embassy says it is handling the issue with the French Foreign Mini
ByĀ Zev StubĀ andĀ Nava Freiberg
A French government source confirmed that the country has stopped renewing work visas for El Al security staff members, citing difficulties faced by French diplomatic staff in security screenings at Parisā main airport.
āFor many months, members of Franceās diplomatic corps in Israel and in Jerusalem have been subjected to systematic screening by El Al security personnel at Charles de Gaulle Airport prior to the airlineās flights,ā the diplomatic source said in a statement to The Times of Israel on Tuesday.
The visa suspension, which is currently under discussion between the two countries, prevents the staff members of Israelās flagship airline from working legally in the country. It is the latest of several challenges El Al staff have faced in France amid increasing French opposition to Israeli policy, though the sourceās statement did not connect the visa issue with disagreements over the Gaza war.
Until now, El Al security staff have been classified as ITAN workers (Israeli citizens supporting diplomatic missions) and were granted French visas via the Israeli embassy. However, no employees have had their visas renewed in the last six months, a source told Ynet.
A spokesperson for Israelās Foreign Ministry said the issue was under investigation and āis being handled by the embassy in coordination with the French Foreign Ministry.ā
The French source also said the issue is under discussion.
āTalks have been opened with the Israeli embassy in France to resolve these difficulties; in the meantime, several administrative measures related to this arrangement have been temporarily suspended,ā the source said. āDiscussions are ongoing in an effort to quickly reach a solution that meets the needs of both sides.ā
A woman walks past the departure board at Charles de Gaulle airport on Friday, July 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
El Al is known for employing stricter security measures than most other airlines, with extensive ā and sometimes invasive ā passenger checks that can include questioning by security staff and baggage checks. The airline also has undercover air marshals on every flight, which it considers essential due to heightened security risks.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee responded to the report with surprise. āSay it aināt so, France. Say it aināt so! What happened to France?ā heĀ postedĀ on X.
The decision comes amid rising tensions between Paris and Jerusalem over Israelās military operations in Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced that France intends to recognize a Palestinian State in September at the UN General Assembly, a plan that drew strong condemnation from Israel.
The Paris offices of El Al vandalized with red paint and pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel graffiti, August 7, 2025. (X, used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)
Last week, El Alās Paris offices wereĀ smearedĀ with red paint and anti-Israel graffiti.
Pictures posted online showed the doors of the offices covered in paint and the words āFree Palestineā daubed in several languages, along with graffiti reading āEl Al genocide airline.ā
The Israeli Embassy in France blamed the attack on āa climate of violent and unrestrained incitement by certain French elected officials,ā without naming individuals.
A row of aircrafts belonging to Israeli airlines El Al sit parked along the apron of Cyprusā main airport in Larnaca, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
And on Monday, an air traffic controller at Charles de Gaulle went on the radio and broadcast āfree Palestineā to the pilots of an El Al flight moments after takeoff, the airline said.
El Al said it was in contact with Israelās Civil Aviation Authority over the āunprofessional and inappropriateā incident, and said that any deviation from standard procedures could lead to disaster during takeoff. El Al said the Civil Aviation Authority is in contact with its French counterparts.
āEl Al will continue to fly around the world with the Israeli flag proudly on the aircraftās tail, while ensuring professionalism and the safety and security of passengers and crew,ā the airline said in a statement.















