TFI Press Release

Transatlantic Friends of Israel Condemn MEP Rima Hassan's Vandalism of 7 October Exhibition

Brussels – 9 October 2026

We the undersigned MEPs, in our capacity as President, Chair, Co-Chairs and Members of the Transatlantic Friends of Israel, condemn in the strongest possible terms the incident in which MEP Rima Hassan reportedly knocked over the Israeli and European flags at an exhibition commemorating the 7 October massacre.

7 October marked the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust in which Hamas, an EU-designated terror organization, massacred almost 1,200 men, women and children and took 251 people hostage. Countless victims were subjected to sexual violence and torture. The exhibition which was co-organized by the AJC Transatlantic Institute and IMPAC served as place of commemoration and dignity. What MEP Hassan did was a deliberate act of provocation that dishonoured the victims of that horrific day. Beyond that it dishonoured the dignity of the European Parliament as a place of democracy and human rights.

We, therefore, call on European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to sanction MEP Hassan according to the European Parliament 's Rules of Procedure. We, furthermore, call on the LEFT/ GUE Group and its co-chairs MEPs Manon Aubry and Martin Schirdewan to condemn MEP Hassan 's actions.

Signed:

MEP Antonio López-Istúriz White

EPP, Spain

President of Transatlantic Friends of Israel

MEP Lukas Mandl

EPP, Austria

Chair of Transatlantic Friends of Israel

MEP Petras Auštrevičius

Renew Europe, Lithuania

Vice-Chair of Transatlantic Friends of Israel

MEP Hannes Heide

S&D Group, Austria

Vice-Chair of Transatlantic Friends of Israel

MEP Alexandr Vondra

ECR, Czechia

Vice-Chair of Transatlantic Friends of Israel

MEP Henrik Dahl

EPP, Denmark