French parl. head criticized for inaction over staffer killed in Gaza
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Legislator Mathilde Panot deems the refusal to hold a minute of silence as "shameful", highlighting that Ahmad Abu Shamla lost his life due to Israeli airstrikes.
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A general view of National Assembly in Paris, Monday, December 11, 2023 (AP)
A French lawmaker, Mathilde Panot of the left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI), criticized the president of the National Assembly for refusing to hold a minute of silence for Ahmad Abu Shamla, a Foreign Ministry staffer killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza.
Panot revealed that Abu Shamla, who had worked at the French Institute for 23 years, succumbed to injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike in Rafah.
Despite Panot's request for a moment of silence, the National Assembly President declined, prompting her to label it as "shameful".
🎥🇫🇷 Mathilde Panot, Présidente du groupe LFI à l'Assemblée national: La présidente de l’assemblée nationale a refusé d'observer aujourd'hui une minute de silence au Parlement pour pleurer le diplomate français Ahmed Abu Shamla, martyrisé lors d'un raid israélien sur #Gaza . pic.twitter.com/5WhkYObYAQ
— Dima Halwani (@DimaHalwani) December 19, 2023
Elsa Faucillon, another left-wing French lawmaker, shared additional details, stating that France did not permit Abu Shamla's four elder sons to leave Gaza. He chose to stay with them, ultimately losing his life in a bombardment.
The French Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing condolences to the victim's family, emphasizing his dedication to working for France since 2002.
Read next: Macron calls for greater efforts toward ceasefire in Gaza
Since the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the Israeli aggression on Gaza has been ongoing, killing more than 19,600 Palestinians and injuring 52,500 - predominantly children and women.
A few days ago, Panot expressed solidarity with Gaza, saying, "I speak the language of international law and the UN. When you support the Israeli far-right government that has turned Gaza into a cemetery."
🇵🇸 Moi je parle la langue du droit international et de l'ONU.
— Mathilde Panot (@MathildePanot) December 17, 2023
Quand vous vous soutenez le gouvernement d'extrême-droite israélien qui a transformé Gaza en cimetière. #AvecPanot pic.twitter.com/k7y14QPKEY
