The Paris office of Israeli airline El Al is vandalized with graffiti

PARIS (AP) — The Israeli airline El Al said Thursday that its Paris office was vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti, calling the act a “deeply disturbing” incident as tensions between France and Israel run high.

Red paint and the words “El Al genocide airline” were discovered Thursday morning on the door outside the airline’s office in the center of the French capital. El Al said that no one was in the office at the time of the incident and that no one was harmed.

The airline said it was handling the matter with the “utmost gravity” and working in close coordination with authorities in France and Israel. El Al added it “unequivocally condemns all forms of violence, particularly those driven by hatred,” and said its planes “proudly” display the Israeli flag.

French authorities announced that they opened opened an investigation into building “degradation” with a racist or ethnically prejudicial intent.

Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev condemned the act and blamed the policies of French President Emmanuel Macron. “Today it’s El Al, tomorrow it’s Air France,” she wrote on social media. “When President Macron makes announcements that give gifts to Hamas, this is the result.”

The incident comes amid diplomatic friction following Macron’s pledge last month to recognize a Palestinian state — a move welcomed by some European allies but strongly opposed by Israel.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry also condemned what it called an antisemitic attack and urged the French government to ensure the safety of El Al staff and offices and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

In May, several Jewish sites across Paris were defaced with green paint, including the Shoah Memorial, three synagogues and a Jewish restaurant.

France is home to Western Europe’s largest Jewish population, with an estimated 500,000 Jews — approximately 1% of the national population.

In recent years, antisemitic incidents have surged, with a sharp increase reported in 2023 after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel. These include physical assaults, threats, vandalism, and harassment, prompting alarm among Jewish communities and leaders.