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
Member of Transatlantic Friends of Israel
MEP Geadis Geadi
ECR, Cyprus
Member of Transatlantic Friends of Israel
MEP Ivars Ijabs
Renew Europe, Latvia
Member of Transatlantic Friends of Israel
MEP Rihards Kols
ECR, Latvia
Member of Transatlantic Friends of Israel
MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen
ECR, Netherlands
Member of Transatlantic Friends of Israel
MEP Matej Tonin
EPP, Slovenia
Member of Transatlantic Friends of Israel
MEP Loránt Vincze
EPP, Romania
Member of Transatlantic Friends of Israel
MEP Veronika Vrecionová
ECR, Czechia
Member of Transatlantic Friends of Israel
MEP Tomáš Zdechovský
EPP, Czechia
Member of Transatlantic Friends of Israel
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