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Paris -

The French capital, Paris, was the scene of two demonstrations yesterday, Saturday, each carrying a strong message in support of the Palestinian people, and strongly denouncing the extremist and xenophobic ideas adopted by right-wing parties.

From Paris to the Gaza Strip, organizations supporting the Palestinian cause expressed their continued solidarity with the civilian population of the Gaza Strip who are suffering from a cruel war that has entered its 128th day.

On the other hand, participants in the massive demonstration chanted against the rise of the extreme right that has attacked the government circles in France with its anti-immigrant ideas, and condemned the collusion of President Emmanuel Macron’s government with the Israeli extreme right.

A banner carried by demonstrators from the "Erguns Palestine" organization, reading "Stop genocide" (Al Jazeera)

From Paris to Gaza

In cold and rainy weather, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Republic Square at the invitation of various parties, led by the French-Palestinian Solidarity Association and the General Union of Workers (CGT).

Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, the head of the "Boycott Israel" organization, Olivia Zemmour, denounced the anticipated Israeli plan to attack Rafah, considering that it would lead to "a massacre that the whole world will see if no one takes action."

Labor inspector and anti-racist neighborhood activist Mornia Al-Absi joined the popular movement, comparing the oppression of the Palestinian people by Israel to the oppression of imperialist countries, including France.

She added in exclusive statements to Al Jazeera Net that "immigrants and foreigners are experiencing a form of new colonialism, just as the Palestinians suffer from the Israeli occupation."

Palestinian activist Rami Shaath said, “The link between fascism and Nazism with which the Palestinian people are treated, and those existing in France in its capitalist form, is very clear with the presence of the extreme right and with Macron’s government in particular.”

Shaath pointed out that "there is an alliance being built in France from all those affected by colonial and fascist visions to confront and change these systems."

A French girl participating in the demonstration holds a sign: “It is not war, it is genocide” (Al Jazeera)

The rise of the extreme right

At a time when voices supporting Palestinian rights are trying to influence governments to put greater pressure and force Israel into an immediate ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid, the extreme right is making its way to gain more and more control over the reins of government.

From the Immigration and Asylum Act to the ban on wearing abayas in schools, discriminatory laws have been enacted against immigrants, crushing the rights of foreign residents in France.

In this context, French MP Eric Cockerel recalls what happened a few days ago when French MP Meir Habib insulted a representative from the “Proud France” party during a tribute to the French victims on October 7th.

Cockerill described his parliamentary colleague Habib as "the representative of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu in the National Assembly," pointing out that the current head of the National Assembly, Jordan Bardella, said that the founder of the far-right party in France, Jean-Marie Le Pen, was not anti-Semitic.

The representative from the "Proud France" party continued, "Netanyahu's government includes extreme right-wing and racist figures, and it is unfortunate that this policy is in effect in France as well."

For example, the National Rally party was able to double the votes in the second round of the French presidential elections in 15 years. After winning 5.5 million votes in 2002, the votes of voters supporting him in 2017 reached nearly 11 million votes.

For its part, Al-Absi believes that Macron's government has opened the door for the extreme right today to have a major presence in the domestic political arena, "and this serves as a starting point that allowed it to penetrate into power, which will push people to demonstrate more," as she put it.

A poster in Place de la République in Paris reading “Macron, leave” (Al Jazeera)

Growing anxiety

Trade union organizations in Paris call for the construction of a comprehensive reaction against the far right and the government that is paving the way for it, with the aim of stopping the anti-social and anti-worker attack. In this context, these organizations are demanding an immediate increase in salaries of 400 euros due to inflation rates, the abolition of the immigration law, and the regularization of the status of all people who do not have identification papers.

In this regard, a member of the Solidarity Public Finance Union said: “The possibility of an extreme right-wing party coming to power in the short term constitutes a real threat, and this possibility may be strengthened if the National Assembly is able to present itself again as the leading party in France during the European elections in June.” Next June.

He added in his interview with Al Jazeera Net, "It is necessary to raise the tone and make combating the extreme right with its organizations and ideas a national priority for all to ensure equality in basic rights and freedoms."

Four months before the European elections, an opinion poll conducted between January 29 and February 7 indicated an increase in the popularity of the far-right party led by Bardella, as it gained 30%, while Macron’s presidential camp fell below 20%.

For her part, Olivia Zemmour attacked the French government, which “stopped support for UNRWA and accelerated the process of genocide,” pointing out that “the fascist far-right has reserved its place in power inside Israel with Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, and Smotrich, and France may witness this same surge in power if we allow it.” "With that."

The head of the "Boycott Israel" organization continued by saying, "We have seen what the extreme right is creating in many countries, and it is our duty to confront its abnormal ideas and unjust laws by demonstrating in various ways to guarantee the rights of immigrants, and to prevent it from reaching power in the coming period."

Source: Al Jazeera